


La Maison des Chats

by AuraFelix



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Family, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Moulin Rouge settings, Painter Levi, Prostitute Eren Yeager, Romance, Smut, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2014-03-03
Packaged: 2018-01-01 16:49:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 95,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1046217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuraFelix/pseuds/AuraFelix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How can a romanticist’s heart escape the cruel realism that tears apart every emotion one can develop upon meeting their other half? Will it be able to remain ignorant of certain aspects of reality in order to create a world of self-perception? Or will it face the brutality of fate that defies the logic of that pure heart, guided by color of nature - green, that sees through the very walls of self-defense, destroying them with it’s shining warmth and exposing it’s very soul to world’s beautiful feeling - Love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Journey to a New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is a very popular painter in London, where he lives. He travels to France with his old friend, Hanji, to make a name of himself in other parts of Europe. They get settled in her apartment in Paris, and Hanji shows Levi her favourite nightclub; La Maison des Chats.

"Mister Levi! Feeling seasick?"

Levi looked up from the dark waves roaring under the ship. The deep water under him, was almost invisible in the night, but the few lights on the ship and the full moon lit up in the darkness. There was no land in sight, and he had been studying the many stars before he was interrupted by the taller brown-haired woman.

"No, I was simply watching the sky, if you must know," Levi answered with his thick British accent, looking back over his shoulder at the figure, partly hidden in the shadows.

"There's no shame in being seasick, if this is your first time travelling by sea," the woman said in a teasing tone, walking up to him and leaning against the railings on the ship.

"Hanji-"

" _Captain_ Hanji," the woman cut him off, "You have to address me properly, when on my ship."

"How long have we known each other?" Levi huffed and looked at the waves again.

"About ten years, I'd say," she answered and followed his eyes to her beloved sea.

"So tell me, why should I begin addressing you as Captain now?"

Hanji answered him with a smile and a single laugh, as the silence set between them, and only the sounds of the waves were audible. Normally, she wasn't one to stay silent, but being on sea she would often take the opportunity to enjoy the many sounds from the ocean. They had known each other for many years, and awkward silence didn't exist between old friends.

The year was 1900, the beginning of the new century, the summer of love. But Levi didn't care for such things as love. He was a painter, and the only love in his life, was for beauty. Beauty in it's simplest way - the nature, the ocean, the sunset. He had an eye for beauty and would capture it in his paintings, which was probably the reason for his success back in England. He was an acknowledged painter, especially in London, where he lived in a large apartment near the River Thames.

Now he was seeking new inspiration - along with spreading his name across Europe - and Hanji had offered to take him to France on her ship. She would often sail between Paris and London, selling tea and perfume, among other things, between the two cities. She knew Paris like the back of her hand, despite her British roots, and she knew a lot of people in Paris due to her social and chatty personality. This was an opportunity Levi just couldn't refuse.

It wasn't that he didn't make plenty of money on his paintings back in England, but lately he hadn't felt inspired to paint. He knew it wasn't something he could force, and he refused to sell a painting he wasn't completely satisfied with. He needed fresh air under his wings and new surroundings. He wasn't really sure if Paris would be that different from London, but it was worth a try. Hanji often stayed in Paris during the summer, and he would be able to stay at her home there without thinking about paying rent.

"I hope you don't expect this trip to be entirely free," Hanji said after a long moment of silence.

"What are you talking about?" Levi huffed, annoyed that the silence had been broken.

"When we go ashore, we need to reload the cargo and travel to Paris by train. I expect your assistance."

Levi refused to answer, thinking that he would rather have paid her for the trip than help her with her dirty work. His hands were made to create beauty, not load her stupid tea-leaves and biscuits from her dirty ship. He had never really done any physically hard work, and he preferred to keep it that way.

"I am not setting my feet in your hold. I don't even want to know when was the last time that place was cleaned properly," he sneered and sent her a warning glare, telling her not to push him any further.

"Well, you could always try to bribe one of my men to do your part, but I doubt those lazy dogs will settle for anything less than 80 francs," Hanji said with a calm smile on her face, as she inhaled the smell of the sea and studied the waves.

"Is that a lot?" Levi asked, not familiar with the French currency.

"That's the price of a luxury hooker," Hanji answered and winked at her friends.

"You know I have no interest in such things," Levi said coldly, straightening his back and his cravat.

"I know you are interested in beauty, and believe me, French girls are extremely beautiful. Not like those lousy whores back in London, French quality is a whole other thing," she teased, and when Levi didn't answer, she continued; "You were looking for new inspiration, weren't you?"

"There is nothing beautiful in selling your body for dirty money," Levi said, trying to keep his calm, but Hanji was seriously pushing his buttons. What could she possibly know about beauty?

"But isn't money pretty much what you live for?"

"I live for beauty," Levi stated with a proud tone, "It is simply just my luck, that the beauty I capture and create, provides me with a lot of money."

Hanji sent him a sceptical look, but she didn't say anything. They spend another long moment in silence before she jumped up, collecting her telescope from a leather container, fastened to her belt. She looked through the spyglass before letting out a joyful yell.

"If you're going to bribe my men, I suggest you do it now," she said to Levi before running across the deck and up the stairs to the wheel of the ship. She rang a bell multiple times, while yelling; "Land ahoy!"

Levi looked in the direction in which Hanji had pointed her telescope, but he couldn't see anything yet. The crowd slowly woke up and presented themselves before their Captain, as she ordered them around. Levi watched as they executed her orders in such a slow pace, that he almost felt like doing it himself. It she was right about them being lazy dogs, or if they knew they were still too far from land to be able to spot it without telescope, and they therefore didn't felt like hurrying, he wasn't sure. But he would never allow such laziness, had he been in charge.

Levi slowly walked along the railing towards the wheel, where Hanji still stood proud and energetic, yelling out commands. He looked at her subordinates as he walked past them, all of them ignoring him and his disgusted glare. As the sun began to rise at the horizon, he could see how dirty they all were - and how dirty the ship was! Right now, Levi wished he was travelling by train, no matter what he the price had been. It was to late now, and luckily they would soon be ashore.

He approached the brown-haired woman, who had turned silent, looking out over the sea as the sun rose and changed the dark waves to something more gentle, beautifully covered in golden colours. Levi stood next to her, following her eyes to the transformation of the ocean. He took it all in; the sounds of the brushing water, the salty smell and the many beautiful colours as they danced over the waves under the ship. This was truly beautiful and truly inspirational.

He let a absent-minded smile cross his face as he lost himself in the beauty of the ocean. This felt like a new beginning, a new era, and he was ready to paint the many beauties of this new world, which already seemed so different from the well-known streets back in London.

"I really hope, that one day you'll meet someone who'll be able to make you smile like that," Hanji said, startling Levi who had been lost in thoughts about the sight in front of him. He regained control over his face fast, and sent her an unimpressed look after his usual cold expression had settled on his face once again.

"I would not count on that," he breathed, and straight ahead with his head turned slightly upwards, just to emphasize his self-control.

As they finally reached the port, Hanji got busy ordering her men around, and Levi managed to stay out of her sight, only carrying his own luggage to the train. He didn't feel bad about letting the others carry the rest, since he felt he had plenty to carry himself. He had tried to only pack what he needed, but the easel and all his painting-equipment weighed more than he thought, and he had to walk back to the ship to get his suitcase with all his clothes. He cursed himself for having to bring that much along, as he knew he could just buy a new easel and paint when they arrived in Paris. But that wouldn't really do; he had always used the same easel, and it would be a bother to get used to a new one. And his paint-brushes were used through many years now, and they suited him perfectly. No, it was a good decision to bring it along.

Hanji sat down next to him on the train as it departed. Levi looked out the window, not acknowledging her presence, as the train drifted through the landscape. It did look a lot like the landscapes outside London, but it was a lot sunnier and not a single cloud were in sight. Back in London, it would rain through most seasons, and he had spend many days painting the grey and wet days.

"Still planning to stay in my flat in Paris?" Hanji asked as she looked out the window over his shoulder.

"Yes - after cleaning it thoroughly and making sure you don't keep any rats," Levi said in an expressionless tone, still looking out the window.

"Be my guest," Hanji smirked, feeling like winning the jackpot as she knew the condition of the apartment.

By the next train-stop, an elder couple boarded the train and asked if they could sit across the two old friends. Levi looked at them with a cocked eye-brow as he didn't understand a single French word, and Hanji had to answer them and apologize for her friend's impolite glare. They sat down in the empty seats without daring to look at Levi, who had turned his head to look out the window again.

"You should really learn to speak French," Hanji stated, sending the elderly couple a friendly smile.

"The only French I am interested in, is the French currency," Levi huffed and drove a hand through his black locks.

"Is that so? Then how are you gonna sell your paintings?" Hanji enquired, turning in the seat to face Levi, who still refused to spare her a look.

"The paintings are going to sell themselves, just like back in London. As I just said, the only French I need to know, is the French currency," Levi answered before finally turning to look at his friend, who met him with a smile of disbelief.

"Then how are you gonna communicate with your costumers?" she asked, curious about the painter's plans.

"That is exactly why I'm staying at your place," Levi said with a cocky smile, "What - you didn't think I would do so out of simple stinginess, did you?"

"Yeah, you actually had me fooled there," Hanji sighed, but the smile never left her face, "So you want  _me_ to be your translator when needed?"

"Yes."

"Such trust, Levi, that isn't like you at all!" she yelled, making the elderly couple jump in their seats. "I assume you want me to show you around and get you jobs too, then?"

"Now that you mention it," Levi answered, smirking at her again. Hanji locked eyes with him for a moment, trying to figure out if he was serious or not. They hadn't spoken much about his plans for when they arrived at Paris, and it was quite unusual for Levi to rely on other people, even Hanji whom he had known for so many years. Apparently, he wanted to try something new, and she could definitely give him something new to work with.

"I guess I could do that, after you've cleaned my flat," she smirked, looking out the window with a satisfied look in her eyes, "But remember - I've been sailing the seas for many years now, and my preferred locations are affected by that. But all right, I'll make sure you get your hands full."

 

* * *

 

Later that day, they arrived at Hanji's apartment in France. It was very small, less than half the size of Levi's home back in London, but it was cheap and located in a quiet yet central part of Paris. By first eye-cast, Levi had to walk out in protest by the sight that met him. The place was beyond dirty, it was disgusting. Hanji laughed sheepishly at his reaction as Levi walked away from the apartment to walk around for a few moments to calm himself down.

Levi ordered his friend to gather the trash and throw almost everything away, while he wrapped a handkerchief around his hair and another one around his face to cover his mouth and nose, before he grabbed a broom and began gathering the dirt and take down the spider-webs.

Hanji wasn't much help to him, and since she had trouble staying focused on the task, he sent her out to bye groceries and whiskey - he knew he would need it for later.

None of them had slept much that night, since they both had spend most of the night looking at the sea from the ship, but Levi was far from tired. He wouldn't be able to sleep in a place this dirty anyway, but he didn't feel the need for rest before he had seen just a bit of Paris. The sun rising over the sea and the landscapes outside Paris had teased his passion, and he wanted more. He wanted to see the beauty in this country, and he wanted to experience Paris. He wanted more inspiration; he wanted to feed all his senses to the point where he wouldn't be able to take any more in. And then he wanted to let it all out through the paint-brush, to recreate the beauty he had experienced.

When Hanji returned with the groceries - mostly contending alcohol in different shapes - Levi was almost done cleaning the place. He had opened all the windows to get rid of the rotten smell that lingered in the apartment and he had emptied a corner of the living-room to set up his easel. They unpacked their clothes and sat down on the out-worn couch in the almost empty room. Hanji handed over a bottle of whiskey and grabbed her own bottle of rum. She let out a loud sigh of satisfaction after taking a large sip, and Levi sent her a disgusted look, as he went to the kitchen to grab a glass for his own beverage.

"So how do you like Paris so far?" Hanji asked him, after taking another sip of her rum.

"I have barely seen anything but your dirty apartment," Levi shrugged and emptied his glass, wishing she had bought a whiskey of higher quality. But it would do for now. He poured another glass and took a sip.

"You want me to show you around the neighbourhood?" Hanji offered and threw her legs on the coffee-table, making it squeak under under her big leather-boots. Levi looked at the boots with a frown on his face, and turned in his seat.

"Thank you, but I think I will take a nap," he said and got up after emptying his glass, "You better clean that table before you do anything else. And do something about those dirty boots of yours too."

"Yes sir!" Hanji yelled after him, her voice dripping with sarcasm, as he turned to the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

Levi sighed as he was finally alone in the small bedroom. He removed the cravat and cracked his neck and shoulders, feeling all his tensions loosen up. It had been a long trip, and he felt so tired now that the place was clean and habitable. He walked over to the window and closed the curtains while leaving the window open for the warm summer-breeze to fill the room.

He pulled off his shoes and pants and let his sore body land on the bed without removing his shirt. He fell asleep instantly, while thinking about the long and hot shower he would need as soon as he woke up.

A couple of hours went by before Hanji gently woke him up. She placed a glass of whiskey on the night-stand next to the bed while poking his cheek until he opened his eyes. He had slept peacefully and couldn't remember a single dream.

"The shower's ready for you," she said as he looked at her through half-lidded eyes. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, before taking a sip of the whiskey and looking at her.

"What on earth are you wearing?" he asked, looking her up and down with a puzzled look. He was used to her wearing manly clothes, since dresses and frilly skirts wouldn't really do on a ship, but right now, she didn't look like a woman in men's clothes; she looked completely like a man. Her hair was gathered in a tight, low ponytail, much unlike the loose one she used to wear, where most of her hair had separated from the rest and fell softly around her face. She was wearing a nice and simple suit with a very clean white shirt and it looked like she was wearing some kind of corset, making it seem like she didn't have breasts at all. Not that she had too much to begin with, but normally she would proudly show off her cleavage.

"You look like a-"

"Man?" Hanji asked with a smirk, "Thank you!"

"Why are you dressed like that?" Levi asked, still too tired to deal with his old friend suddenly cross-dressing. He took another sip of his whiskey.

"We're going out tonight, as soon as you're ready. I'm gonna show you my favourite bar," she answered and signalled for him to get out of bed.

"That doesn't really explain why you're dressed like that," Levi pointed out, as he emptied his glass and got out of bed, heading for the shower.

"They rarely let females inside, so I'm dressing up like this every time I feel like going. It's worth it though, the entertainment there is splendid," Hanji answered, and Levi let a tired sound escape his throat before closing the bath-room door behind him.

He removed his shirt and underwear, and turned on the shower, chills running down his spine as he felt the cold water on his back. He really hoped the water would heat up soon. While washing his hair in the still cold water, Hanji knocked on the door and opened it before he could manage to tell her to bugger off.

"By the way," she said as her head poked through the door, not caring about what would meet her on the other side, "You have to address me as Mr. Darcy when we get there."

"And why would I do that?" Levi hissed, through gritted teeth as he let the cold water run through his hair.

"They know me as Mr. Darcy at the bar. If you call me Hanji we'll get kicked out, and if you ruin my reputation, I assure you, you'll have to find another place to live," she said in a firm tone, making sure he understood the seriousness.

"Yeah, whatever -  _Mister Darcy,_ " Levi huffed, and the usual joyful expression settled on Hanji's face again. She stood at the door-frame for a moment, looking at Levi's shadow behind the shower-curtain. He could be a cold-heated bastard, but she knew he was a good guy. They had been friends for so long now, and she knew that no matter how much he tried to hide it, he respected her. It was exciting to be back at Paris again, she had missed it a lot during the cold winter, and it would be fun to have Levi around while she was here.

"Do you mind?" Levi snapped, shutting off the water and removing the shower-curtain to send her an angry glare and hide his private parts.

"Come on, we're all men here," she teased, and left the bathroom before he could spit another venomous comment at her. He sighed as the door closed behind her, thinking that if she kept teasing him like that, it would be a long vacation in Paris.

After drying his hair and body, he picked out a black suit much alike the one Hanji wore. Throwing his old clothes away to be cleaned, he picked a fresh cravat from the drawer and studied himself in the mirror. A smirk settled on his face, as he eyed his own reflection. It had been long since the last time he wore a suit like this, and he had to say, he looked quite good.

Hanji appeared behind him, looking at herself in the mirror before pulling out a round box from behind her back.

"You look good, Mr. Levi," she complimented him, before handing over the box.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Mr. Darcy," Levi smirked, and opened the box. His mood was quite high by now, aided by Hanji's cheap whiskey. From the box, he drew a black top-hat which Hanji placed gently on his head, cocking it a bit to the side. Levi turned to look at himself in the mirror once again, while Hanji placed a similar top-hat on her own head.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked, and patted his shoulder. Levi took a sip from his glass, and realized that he had almost emptied the entire bottle over a few hours. No wonder he was in such a good mood.

"Yes," Levi answered and grabbed his gloves, moving towards the door, followed by Hanji. They walked down the streets of Paris, bathed in the warm evening-sun, and Hanji told him about the area as they passed through little shops and café's, waving at people she knew and walking like she owned the street.

"You're quite familiar with this area," Levi pointed out, wondering how she could act like she had always lived here, when she spend so much time at sea.

"It is like a second home for me. Or third, if you count the ship in," she smiled and turned around a corner, "Or fourth if you count  _La Maison des Chats_  in."

"Maison des pardon me?"

"The bar we're heading at. Well, it's not really just a bar, it's more like a nightclub - and a dance-hall," she added, and when Levi sent her a look of disbelief, she added further; "And a brothel."

"Are you taking me to a brothel?" Levi yelled and stopped in the middle of the street.

"Calm down, Levi, it's not like those nasty whorehouses back in London," she assured him, and grabbed his wrist to drag him alone, "Besides, we're there in a moment, and I'm not gonna show you back to the apartment now."

"Bloody hell," Levi whispered under his breath, as he gritted his teeth and followed her around the next corner. As they turned around the corner, they were met with a large and elegant building, golden doors and tall door-men by every entrance. Long red carpets were rolled out from the entrances to the side-walk and there was no doubt about what this building was for. Levi could almost smell the sinful sex steaming from the building, but nonetheless was Hanji right - this was not like the lousy whorehouses back in London. It looked stylish and expensive, and curious as he was, Levi didn't object as Hanji dragged him to the entrance.

As he tried to stay on his feet, he looked up and saw a golden sign, illuminated by multiple lights, with the words; La Maison des Chats.


	2. Stroker Ace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Hanji visits La Maison des Chats to watch the main show. On stage is a very beautiful dancer, who seems to trigger Levi’s curiosity and creativity. He wishes to paint the dancer, named Chasseuse, and accepts to work for the owner of the nightclub, Monsieur Erwin Smith, in one condition; that he gets to paint Chasseuse.

"Monsieur Darcy, welcome back," the doorman greeted with a thick French accent, as Hanji and Levi approached the entrance to the La Maison des Chats, "I shall inform Monsieur Erwin that you're here."

"Thank you," Hanji said in a voice lower and darker than her usual eccentric and feminine tone. The doorman let them past the line of men in front of the night-club, and Levi sent his friend an impressed look as she strutted through the golden doors, into the dark hallway.

"Getting special treatment, I see," Levi said lowly as they passed another doorman who approached the one who greeted Hanji.

"That's what you get after many years as a loyal guest," Hanji stated with a smug smirk on her face, as she glanced at Levi.

"I must say, I'm a bit impressed," Levi said as a waiter greeted them at the end of the hallway, showing them inside another room. Levi looked around as they went through another set of golden doors. The room was the same size as a smaller theatre as he knew them back in London, which was probably what it had been used as, when it was build. The walls were covered with expensive-looking velvet wallpaper in a warm red colour, with golden candle-holders along the walls, and a huge chandelier hang under the beautifully painted ceiling, illuminating the entire room. In the other end of the room was a stage, hidden behind massive red curtains, and a catwalk lead from the middle of the stage to a podium in the middle of the room.

"This is so vulgar," Levi huffed, as the waiter showed them further inside the hall, leading them to a table.

"I know, isn't it delicious?" Hanji asked and winked at him. They sat down by a table close to the stage and Hanji thanked the waiter, who asked them what they wanted to drink and informed Hanji that  _Monsieur Erwin_ would be there soon.

"Who is this Monsieur Erwin?" Levi asked, as the waiter left.

"Monsieur Erwin Smith owns the La Maison des Chats. He bought the place four years ago for a minor fortune, and turned it into the most popular night-club in Paris. He's a genius and an amazing businessman. The place has been a huge success ever since its opening and he only allows men inside, which is of course why you have to address me as Mr. Darcy," Hanji told, leaning in close to Levi to make sure no one else could hear them. She paused when the waiter came back with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. "Merci," she said and the waiter bowed before leading a few new-comers to their tables.

Hanji filled the glasses with whiskey and and placed one of them in font of Levi.

"Then why do they speak English?" he asked, taking a sip of the whiskey and enjoying the quality, as it was much more to his taste than the cheap stuff Hanji had bought him earlier.

"The La Maison des Chats is a huge tourist attraction, and Monsieur Erwin only hires staff who can speak English. The girls-"

"The whores?" Levi cut her off, sending her a hard look, making sure she knew he hadn't forgotten that she had dragged him to a brothel. No matter how fancy, it was still a whorehouse.

"The  _dancers,_ " Hanji corrected him, and returned his look before continuing, "are not obliged to speak English, but Monsieur Erwin offers them to learn the language to give them a chance to earn some extra money. In exchange he wants them to take good care of themselves, as he only lets the most beautiful girls get on stage. And the stage is where they earn the real money."

"Monsieur Darcy," a voice cut her off, before she could tell Levi more about the club, "How nice to have you back here!"

"Monsieur Erwin," Hanji greeted in the same low and dark voice she had used at the entrance. She got up to shake the tall man's hand, "It's good to be back."

Levi got up as well, offering the man his hand. Erwin took it and shook it firmly, while Hanji introduced them; "This is my old friend, Monsieur Levi. He's a famous painter back in London, and he's visiting Paris during the summer."

"Monsieur Levi, it's an honour," Erwin said in a flattering tone, "I've seen some of your work, it's very impressive."

"Thank you," Levi said, and they all three sat down by the table.

"May I ask why you decided to visit Paris?" Erwin asked, leaning in over the table and locking eyes with the painter.

"He's seeking new inspiration and wants to get his name across Europe," Hanji answered before Levi could open his mouth. He looked at her confused, as she winked at the blond man in front of them.

"That sounds very interesting," Erwin said, looking from Hanji to Levi and back again.

"Which is why I brought him here," Hanji continued, leaning back in the seat nonchalantly, "I believe you told me that you were looking for a new artist to make posters for the La Maison des Chats."

"That is very true," Erwin smirked and looked back at Levi again, "Would you consider working for me, Monsieur Levi? It will help you get a reputation in Paris and I will pay you generously for your work."

"I'm flattered by your offer, Monsieur Erwin, but I just arrived in Paris this afternoon, and I believe it would be wise of me to weigh my options before taking in a job as... consuming as the one you're offering me," Levi said coldly, letting his British accent shine through more than usually. Hanji kicked him under the table, as Erwin's face turned offended, and Levi continued; "I will consider you generous offer, though."

"Please do, I'm sure you'll find plenty of inspiration here, if that's what you seek," Erwin answered as the cheerful expression returned to his face, "I believe I'm needed backstage, so you'll have to excuse me. But please, enjoy the show, and if you see anything you like, let me know. It's on me."

Levi and Hanji turned their heads to see the blonde man walk away and disappear behind the stage. Then Levi kicked Hanji under the table, and pulled her closer by her collar.

"Is that why you offered to take me to Paris, you bastard?" he hissed, sending her a death-glare.

"Now now, Levi, let's not over-react," she said with a sheepish smile, and removed his hand from her collar. She straightened her clothes and took a sip of her whiskey before continuing; "I admit, I promised Monsieur Erwin to help him find a painter for the club, but this is a good opportunity for you too! You should be thanking me instead of choking me."

"Hanji-"

"Darcy!"

" _Darcy -_  it's a bloody brothel! This will not help me get a good reputation in France, this will mark me as a pervert," Levi spit, before taking deep breaths to calm himself down and emptying his glass. Hanji poured him another one, while giving him a chance to collect himself.

"You know, Levi, France is a bit different from England - a bad reputation is better than no reputation. You're my oldest friend, I would never lead you to something that could possibly ruin you. I'm telling you, this is a great opportunity," she said, as Levi sipped at the whiskey until the glass was empty again. "At least think about it. And please don't upset Monsieur Erwin, you want to stay on the right side of him."

"Is that so?" Levi asked, and signalled for her to fill up his glass again.

"Yes, and you better not ruin my reputation here either! I've worked hard to become friends with Monsieur Erwin and to be seated at the best tables in the entire club," she insisted, and Levi let out a defeated sigh.

"I will think about it," he said and looked away, noticing that the room was almost filled by now.

"Thank you," Hanji said and let their glasses clink against each other, before they both took a large sip. "Please enjoy yourself a bit. You should exploit this chance - nobody knows who you are here!"

"And by that, you suggest that I buy myself a hooker?" Levi asked with a smirk, slowly letting his good mood from before return.

"No, that would be stupid," Hanji stated as the lights on the stage were turned on, and Erwin appeared from behind the curtains. Everybody turned their attention towards the tall, blonde man on the stage as he welcomed them all to the La Maison des Chats. "Especially since Monsieur Erwin said it was on him, if we see anything we like," Hanji whispered and winked at her friend. Levi was about to say that he would never accept an offer like that, when Erwin spoke up again and he had to keep quiet.

"Mademoiselle Ymir and Mademoiselle Annie," Erwin presented, and the light shut down as the curtains were pulled, covering the scene in complete darkness. The music began playing and two girls appeared on the stage; a brown-haired girl with tiny freckles on her cheeks, wearing a black and pink corset, along with a very revealing skirt with a long tail, showing a pair of glimmering panties and fishnet covering her tanned legs. The other girl was blond with shining blue eyes, wearing the same outfit as the brown-haired, but black and turquoise in stead of pink. Both of them had dangerous looks in their eyes and cold expressions on their faces as they slowly began to move to the music, completely in line, moving as one.

Levi had to admit that this was a lot more impressive than what he had expected, and if the rest of the entertainment was just as good as this, he could see why the La Maison des Chats was as popular as Hanji said it was. Erwin was without a doubt a brilliant businessman, but that didn't necessarily mean that Levi wanted to be a part of it.

"Do you like it?" Hanji whispered without taking her eyes away from the two girls on stage as they moved erotically against each other to the slow beat of the music.

"I have absolutely no opinion," Levi huffed, looking as unimpressed as ever.

"You have to admit it's very tasteful," Hanji insisted, as the two girls pulled off their skirt, revealing their well-formed butts under loud cheering from the guests.

"I see nothing tasteful about this," Levi answered and took a sip of his whiskey, while the girls walked down from the stage, moving around the many tables and let the guests fill their underwear and garters with cash. Levi ignored the blonde as she moved past their table, slowly moving her hips from side to side next to his head.

Hanji waved a banknote between to fingers, sending the blonde a smirk and she slowly moved towards her, letting Hanji stick it down her cleavage before returning to the stage with her dance-partner.

"You are disgusting," Levi spit as Hanji winked at him, and turned her attention towards the two girls as the finished off their act and the curtains were closed behind them.

Erwin walked back onto the stage to introduce another girl - Mademoiselle Sasha - and after her show - which earned her a lot of cash from Hanji - another girl - Mademoiselle Christa - danced her way through the room, ending her act by thanking the many generous gentlemen on the first row.

Levi was getting a bit tired of looking at girls taking off their clothes, as it didn't really suit his taste, unlike Hanji who was cheering loudly with an even more eccentric look in her eyes that usual. Again, Levi had to admit that it was impressive, but this had nothing do to with beauty. Quite the opposite, actually. The female body was beautiful, but not when exposed like this for money. Most of the girls seemed aggressive in the ways they moved to the seductive tones from the band hiding in front of the stage, and Levi preferred elegant and graceful women. Not that he really cared, beauty  _was_ the only love of his life - but he had painted many beautiful girls back in London, and women often turned out to be great inspiration. But the girls at the La Maison des Chats disgusted him more that inspired him.

Erwin entered the stage once again, getting ready to present the next girl.

"Are we done yet?" Levi whispered to Hanji, who turned to look at him, now that there weren't any girls in sight.

"Come on, Levi, it's only just begun," she whispered back, getting a bit annoyed at her friends fastidiousness.

"Mesdames et Messieurs," Erwin yelled, taking a few steps closer to the edge of the scene, "The headline, the main-event - the reason you're all here-"

"Believe me, you want to see this," Hanji whispered and grabbed Levi's wrist to make sure he didn't go anywhere.

Erwin smiled proudly during his pause, looked at the audience; "Mademoiselle Chasseuse!"

Levi sighed and turned in his seat, thinking that there was apparently no way Hanji would let him go before the show was over, and he wasn't sure he would be able to get back to the apartment by himself after almost emptying the bottle of whiskey with help from his friend.

Low tones sounded from the band as a figure walked onto the stage, and slowly made it's way to the catwalk.

 _"_ _Monsieur, can I come with you,_ _  
_ _As you both look awfully kind,_ _  
_ _Sadly he and me are through,_ _  
_ _Let me tell you what I've got in mind,"_  she sang, almost purred, while walking gracefully down the catwalk.

Levi looked at the figure in front of him, as she stopped by the table next to where Levi and Hanji were seated, moving like one would normally only do while all alone in the middle of the night. Levi could see why Mademoiselle Chasseuse would be the headline; she was beautiful, almost magical. Something out of this world. She was quite thin, light-brown perfect skin and dark-brown short hair. She didn't look as well-groomed as the other girls, but somehow, it only made her that more beautiful.

 _"I'll sing to you my mewing charm,_  
Looks like you both could use a pet,  
And purr my purr all night long,  
I think a pussy's your best bet," she continued singing, while getting down on all four, giving everyone a good look of the perfectly formed butt, as her outfit didn't leave much for the imagination. She was wearing a short skirt, which looked like it was made of pure silver, shining and sparkling in the light from the stage, and a matching top, barely covering her chest. Her underwear was obviously black, just like the garters around her toned thighs. She had thin silver-chains spread over the naked tanned skin, only making the mocha-skin look more delicious.

 _"Stroke that shiny coat,"_  she almost moaned, catching Levi's eyes with her own, as dark-brown cat-ears and a long tail appeared out of nowhere, under loud cheering from the audience. Levi blinked, thinking that he had probably been drinking too much whiskey - but the ears and tail were still there, when he looked at her again. She locked eyes with the painter for a moment, and Levi was lost in her eyes as the sparkling green orbs turned a bit more yellowish during the transformation.

 _"Stroking is the antidote,_  
Stroke that, it's a start,  
Only for the wild at heart."

Mademoiselle Chasseuse rolled over to lay on her back, letting her long tail caress the exposed skin on her stomach, while arching her back off the catwalk.

 _"My tail alone could tell you tales,_  
It's got a life all of its own,  
Watch it move just like a sail,  
Sail you to the twilight zone."

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Hanji whispered to Levi without looking at him.

"Yes," he breathed back, not noticing either her question or the fact that he had answered it. Hanji turned to look at him, since she hadn't expected such an answer, but Levi didn't return her glance.

 _"I love to lap a spot of cream,_  
And I assure you that I'm neat,  
But you never know what you can expect,  
When the pussy is in heat," the dancer purred and got back up on her knees, letting Levi and Hanji get another good look at her butt and tail as she turned her back to them to sing to the guests on the opposite side of the catwalk. Her tail moved to the slow beat of the music, just like her hips. Then she jumped from the catwalk to gracefully land on a table on the front-row, without knocking anything over, and moving like a cat from the table to the lap of a man by said table, letting him stroke her stomach while she purred out the chorus of her song;

 _"Stroke that shiny coat,_  
Stroking is the antidote,  
Stroke that shiny coat,  
Stroking's what it's all about."

Levi emptied his glass once more, trying to gather his thoughts, while the course of his flustering, moved back to the catwalk after getting her garters stuffed with cash, dropping a few banknotes on the stage as she knelt down while spreading her legs in front of Hanji and Levi, letting them get a good view at the lines of her inner-thighs, while her crotch was still hidden behind the silver-skirt. She locked eyes with Levi again and smirked while singing, as she let her body slide from the catwalk to the floor, slowly walking towards their table.

 _"I like to watch, if you don't mind,  
Every sphinx knows how to pass the time,"_  she purred as she approached them, placing her ass on their table, spreading her legs and placing a naked foot on the arm-rest of Levi's chair.

 _"Your little love nest suits me well,  
Let me show you how to cast a spell,"_  the dancer continued, grinding her soft leg against Levi's arm as she moved from the table to his lap, straddling him. A deep purr sounded from her throat as she smirked at the painter, before getting back on her feet and letting Hanji fasten a couple of banknotes at the edge of her skirt, while stroking Hanji's cheek with the tip of her tail. Then she moved away from the table, earning cash from the other guests with her hypnotizing hips as she finished off the song.

 _"Stroke that shiny coat,_  
Stroking is the antidote,  
Stroke that it's a start,  
Only for the wild at heart,

 _Stroke that shiny coat,_  
Stroking is the antidote,  
Stroke that shiny coat,  
Stroking's what it's all about."

"I told you it was worth it," Hanji whispered as the girl climbed back onto the stage before disappearing behind the red curtains. Levi didn't answer; he felt completely mind-blown. Chasseuse might be a prostitute, just like the other girls of the La Maison des Chats, but she was different. She was beautiful, truly beautiful, and something in Levi told him, that this was what he had come this far to experience. This was the most beautiful part of Paris, this was his inspiration. He just had to paint her.

"Don't get any good ideas," Hanji said and turned to face him, not caring that Erwin had already returned to the stage, presenting the next girl. "Chasseuse is Erwin's number one, he won't let just anybody near her."

"I just - I really-" Levi stuttered before clearing his throat and regaining his usual calm voice, "I'm not interested in that sort of things, Darcy. She's very beautiful, but she's still a whore. I would love to paint her, though."

"Oh, so you found your inspiration?" Hanji teased, not willing to let her friend off, as he had apparently found inspiration in a whorehouse, as he called it.

"Maybe," Levi huffed and took a sip of his whiskey. A new girl had entered the scene, but neither Hanji nor Levi paid her any attention. She studied him for a moment, and he returned her glance with a cold look.

"Very well, Mister Levi," she smirked and leaned back in her seat, "I'll help you."

"I'm listening," Levi said lowly while filling their glasses again, emptying the bottle.

"Mademoiselle Chasseuse is not just a luxury whore; she's Monsieur Erwin's headline, his pearl. Normally, he only lets his benefiters near her, and they pay a lot of money to just spend a single night with her. The whole thing about the ears and tail really turns men on for some reason - don't ask me how she does it, Erwin refuses to let me in on that secret, no matter how much rum I fill him with. He says a true magician never reveals his secret," Hanji trailed off, obviously annoyed by the fact that she couldn't figure out how Chasseuse's ears and tail could suddenly appear.

"You were saying?" Levi asked, lifting his eyebrow at her as she seemed to be lost in thoughts.

"Yes, if you agree to work for Monsieur Erwin, you can get near Chasseuse. She  _is_  the main-event at the La Maison des Chats after all, and if you can produce some really beautiful posters of her, you might get to spend some extra-time with her," Hanji smirked and a satisfied smile settled on Levi's face as she spoke.

"Very well then," he said, straightening his cravat, "Let us have a chat with Monsieur Erwin then."

Hanji signalled for Erwin to come over, as soon as the main-show was over, and some of the girls reappeared on the stage to dance for a little extra money and possibly get a costumer for the night.

"Enjoying the show?" Erwin asked, as he approached them, pulling out a chair and placing a fresh bottle of whiskey on the table.

"Indeed," Hanji answered, in her low Mr. Darcy-voice, "In fact, we enjoy it so much, that Mister Levi is ready to strike a deal with you."

"Is that so?" the tall man asked, sending Levi a bright smile, "In that case, why don't we go to my office and discuss the details?"

"Why don't we?" Levi smirked and the two of them got up, leaving Hanji alone with an unopened bottle of whiskey in the dim light from the stage.

"May I ask what made you change your mind?" Erwin asked as he sat down behind his desk in his office, signalling for Levi to sit down across from him.

The painter pulled out the soft chair, and looked around the office. It was quite small, but just as expensive-looking as the dance-hall. The windows were covered by heavy curtains and the furniture were made out of dark wood, every single piece in the room matching. His desk was almost empty, aside from a few stacks of neatly arranged papers.

"I want to paint Mademoiselle Chasseuse," Levi answered bluntly, locking eyes with Erwin. The blonde studied him for a moment and then laughed. Levi didn't move at all.

"Yes, she's a great dance, isn't she?" he laughed, and turned in the chair, leaning his elbow against the armrest, "But don't get any good ideas. She's expensive."

"Pardon me for not being familiar with the French language, but in England, wanting to paint someone simply means wanting to paint a picture of them. I am not a man to fall for your dancing temptresses," Levi bit back, with an expressionless face.

"So that's your only condition, then?" Erwin asked, after studying Levi for another moment.

"Yes. You will pay me for my work and let me spend time with Mademoiselle Chasseuse, and in return, I can guarantee you the most beautiful posters for your night-club. You will not find a more talented painter than me," Levi answered, crossing his arms under his chest.

"I will give you three hours alone with her, every Saturday afternoon - if you need more than that, you'll have to pay for her time, just like the other costumers," Erwin said, "She's only taking clients at night, but I'll give you a discount if I'm satisfied with your work, say - ten percent off?"

"That's hardly a discount," Levi stated, letting a frown settle on his face.

"Then you will just have to work on your paintings during those three hours every Saturday," Erwin said in a smug tone, "Other than that, you will be working during the day to make sure your work won't disturb the shows. You will be painting all off the girls, and make sure to promote all of them equally."

"And how much are you going to pay me?"

"How about-" Erwin started, taking a pause to think for a bit, "-you make me a poster for free, just to prove to me that you are the painter I want?" Levi was about to get up and yell at the man for being a cheapskate, but Erwin continued; "I'll let you meet Mademoiselle Chasseuse tonight, and tomorrow we'll meet again and you will show me your work. Then I'll decide if we have a deal or not, and we can discuss your salary."

Levi locked eyes with the blonde, weighing his options. Of course he wanted to make money, but right now he actually had the opportunity to meet his possibly greatest inspiration ever. He knew he could make the most beautiful art, the job was as good as his.

"Fine," he said, making sure not to let Erwin see his satisfaction with the deal so far, "Show me to her room, and tell Mr. Darcy to go fetch my papers and watercolours."

"With pleasure, Monsieur Levi," Erwin said, and showed the painter outside his office, making sure to lock it firmly after he closed the door behind him.

A couple of minutes later, Levi found himself in front of a heavy wooden door with a guard sitting on a chair next to it. He looked at Levi as he approached the door, but as Erwin appeared behind him, he looked away.

"This is her room," Erwin said, "If you have any problems, don't be afraid to talk to Gunther," he nodded towards the guard, who pretended not to hear him, "He's only here to help you."

"Thank you," Levi said, and Erwin left him alone in front of the massive door, going back to find Hanji and ask her to bring Levi's equipment. Levi placed a few gentle knocks on the wooden door, and after a moment of silence, a soft voice purred;  _"Entrez."_

Levi slowly opened the door. He entered the dim room and closed the door behind him, as he looked around. The room was neat - not as neat as the dance-hall or Monsieur Erwin's office, but it was indeed neat. The wall opposite from the door was made of glass, allowing the moonlight the fill the room and make it all seem black and white. The room was almost empty, except for a large bed on Levi's left side, covered with pillows and light pieces of fabrics hanging from the ceiling. To his right, there was a large cabinet, probably containing Chasseuse's stage-outfits, and next to it, a little desk with a mirror. In the corner, between the bed and the windows, there was an exit to what looked like a balcony, but it was hard to determine due to the fabric hanging over the bed.

A small shadow moved from the balcony to the bed, almost invisible behind the fabric, and then a beautiful face appeared from behind the bed.

"Comme c'est gentil de votre part de venir me rendre visite ce soir, Monsieur." Chasseuse said, as she laid eyes on Levi, sending him a tiny smile and waving her dark lashes at him.

"Pardon me?" Levi asked, suddenly remembering he was in Paris and he didn't understood a single French word.

"No, pardon me, Monsieur!" she said, as she realized he didn't understood the language, "You're an Englishman?"

She got up from behind the bed and walked towards him, never letting her eyes off of him. Levi suddenly realized he was standing with his back against the door, feeling a bit trapped as she came closer, but he never let the calm expression leave his face.

"Yes," he said, "London."

"How charming," she purred, "May I ask your name?"

"Levi."

"Monsieur Levi, then," the dancer smiled, and leaned in, her face inches away from the painters. He could feel her warm breath against his cheek and smell the sweet essence of her perfume. She was truly beautiful. "Thank you for coming."

And by that she leaned further, closing the gab between them and let her soft lips caress Levi's slightly parted ones. Levi froze for a moment, thinking that this was definitely not what he came for, but God, she was just so beautiful. The girl moved closer, letting her body move against the painters, waiting for him to join in on the fun. She parted her legs slightly, letting one rest on each side of Levi's thigh - Levi pulled back, slamming the back of his head against the door, and looking down.

"Bloody hell," he whispered, "You're not a girl!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's really weird for me to write something like this, it's very different from my other fanfics, but I hope the story's okay. Since the story takes place in Moulin Rouge-settings, I'm trying not to copy the movie and I hope the plot will be interesting.
> 
> The song is Stroker Ace by Lovage, which I totally adore. I've been listening to the CD while writing this chapter, and I believe it helped a lot to set the atmosphere.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading.


	3. In the Cat's Den

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is confronted with a bit of a surprise as he visits the dancer. The visit doesn’t really go according to Levi’s plans, but he gets what he came for in the end.

Bloody France and those bloody cross-dressers. As he gently pushed the boy - whom he had though was a girl - a few steps back, Levi was about ready to leave this bloody country. He hadn't even been there for twenty-four hours yet, but he longed to go back to England, to his home in London, where things actually made sense.

"Pardon, Monsieur, I thought you knew," the boy said, not letting Levi's reaction change the seductive tone in his voice.

"How on earth was I supposed to know that?" Levi hissed and backed away from the boy, looking him up and down, trying to find something that could have given him away. Of course he didn't look like the other girls, who had big breasts and curved bodies, but the boy had long slender legs and a very nice butt and the way he moved just seemed very feminine.

"I believe it is what you call a common known secret," the boy answered, following Levi around in the room, obviously not sorry about the misunderstanding, "I thought you knew Monsieur Darcy, didn't he tell you?"

"Darcy?" Levi growled through gritted teeth, as he realized that Hanji had managed to fool him again. She was probably sitting in the dance-hall now, drinking expensive booze and laughing her ass off. He was about to turn around and run out the door, only to kick her sorry ass before stealing her dirty ship and sail back to England by himself, but then the boy moved closer again.

"No, don't you worry, I can still make you feel really good."

Levi froze to the spot as the boy moved even closer to him, and began licking his neck. Levi bit his lower lip before pushing the boy away again, sending him a cold look and straightening his clothes.

"Stop that," he hissed, earning him a puzzled look from the other male, "I am not here to let you pleasure me."

"Wh-what?" Eren asked, looking very confused until his eyes widened, as he thought he had understood what Levi meant, "Oh, you want me to look while you do it yourself?"

"No!" Levi yelled, taking another step back as the boy tried to capture him again, "Just keep your hands away from me!"

He took a deep breath as the boy sat down at the edge of the bed, waiting for him to explain why he was there if not for his services.

"I am here to paint you. I am a painter, and Mister Erwin wants to hire me to paint posters for the night-club. In exchange, I get to use you as a model for my own projects, three hours every Saturday," Levi explained, wondering if he had actually managed to remember every part of the deal, as he felt a little besides himself right now.

"But then - I don't get to work tonight?" the boy asked, after thinking for a moment.

"No, Mister Erwin arranged for me to make a painting of you. You will not take any clients tonight."

 _"Merde!"_ the boy yelled and slammed his fist against the mattress. He got up and began walking back and forth, mumbling in French what sounded like a line of profanities. Then he stopped and looked at Levi. "Please, Monsieur, paint me another day, I wish to work tonight."

"Why do you want to work when you can have the night off?" Levi asked, not understanding the desperation in the boys voice. Did he even understand what he was saying? "You do not have to do anything, while I am painting you. You just have to make yourself comfortable and let me do all the work. Do you understand?"

"I do, Monsieur, but I really have to work tonight!" the boy insisted, sending him a pleading look, "I haven't made any money the last couple of days, and I really need to get some before tomorrow."

"What about all that cash you earned while dancing tonight?" Levi asked, beginning to doubt whether the boy even knew what he was saying.

"I only get about twenty percent of what I earn, the rest is Monsieur Erwin's. Please, Monsieur, I have been feeling sick the last couple of days, and I really need to earn some money."

Levi studied the boy as he kept sending the painter a pleading look. Didn't Hanji tell him earlier, that the girls earned the real money on stage? He understood that Monsieur Erwin had to pay his bills and a place like this couldn't be cheap, but twenty percent didn't seem like much. Maybe Hanji had gotten something wrong, or maybe Erwin had special rules for the boy?

"What is your name, brat?" Levi asked, taking a few steps closer to the boy.

"Eren, Monsieur," he answered and looked down, obviously troubled by the fact that he wouldn't earn any money that night.

"Eren," Levi said and pulled out a few banknotes from his inner-pocket, "If I pay for the night, will you let me paint you then?"

"Y-you want to pay me for  _not_ having sex with you?" Eren asked, looking completely dumbfounded.

"Technically, yes," Levi answered after giving it a moment of thought, "I will pay you for letting me paint you and for not trying to seduce me again."

Eren locked eyes with Levi again, this time his eyes were filled with disbelief as a serious expression settled on his face. Levi returned the glance with a calm look.

"Why are you doing this?" Eren then asked, dumping back onto the bed again, without breaking the eye-contact.

"Obviously, I want to paint you," Levi stated as he threw the money on the bed. He went to the corner of the room to pick up a chair and drag it closer to the bed, before he got down and locked eyes with the boy again.

"Why?" Eren insisted, looking back up at Levi after counting the money and stashing it away in his underwear.

"What do you mean  _why_?" Levi asked, getting a bit annoyed by the boys questions. Couldn't he just be happy that he was willing to pay him for his time, even though Erwin wasn't going to pay him for this project?

"Why do you want to paint me, Monsieur?" Eren elaborated, his voice turning soft again as he began to relax, obviously feeling a bit relieved that he wouldn't have to think about money tonight.

"Because you are beautiful," Levi answered, without taking his eyes away from the boy.

"Pardon me?" Eren choked, his eyes widening as he moved a bit closer to Levi, not sure if he had heard that right.

"You are beautiful. Actually, you are possibly the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on, and as a painter, beauty is what I live for," Levi said, still keeping his eyes on Eren and still not letting his expression change. The fact that Eren was actually male, didn't change the fact that he was beautiful.

"Monsieur Levi, I-"

"Please, just Levi," the painter cut him off, getting a bit tired of the French language by now. He still felt the urge to leave the country and get back to London, but now he finally had the chance to paint the boy, and he refused to return to England empty-handed. Just as he thought about when Hanji would return with his water-colours, a light knock sounded from the wooden door. Eren jumped from the bed to the floor without making a single sound and opened the door.

"Monsieur Darcy," he greeted and let the new-comer inside.

"Bonjour my sweet little kitten," Hanji beamed and took off her top-hat as she entered the room and let Eren close the door behind her. "And Mister Levi!" she greeted, not able to hide her smirk, as the annoyed glare he sent her, told her that he had found out about the little common known secret.

"It is very bold of you to just waltz in here like that, after what you did to me," he hissed, getting up to face her.

"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you about Eren," Hanji smiled innocently, handing over his papers and water-colours, "He's cute though, isn't he?"

"I sincerely hope this is the last time you are going to make a fool of me," Levi warned her, ignoring her question about the boy, who had settled on his bed again, looking at the two grown-ups in front of him.

"Come on, Levi, it's not like you were gonna have sex with him anyway," Hanji teased and drew a small bottle of whiskey from the inner-pocket of her jacket. She handed it over to Levi. "Drink it as fast as you can. You tend to be in a better mood when you're drunk."

"I think it is time for you to go now,  _Mister Darcy!"_  Levi said, and turned Hanji around, pushing her towards the door.

"No, please let me play with Eren a bit before I leave," she yelled, trying to stop her friend from pushing her.

"No can do. I paid for him, he is all mine tonight. And you are not invited," Levi answered and opened the door to push her to the other side.

"You paid for him?" Hanji asked, her face turning serious as she turned around to look at Levi, "But Mister Erwin told me -"

"Sleep well, Mister Darcy, I will return to your apartment tomorrow morning. Let us save the chat for then," Levi said loudly, and closed the door between them. He looked back at the room, where Eren still laid on the bed, looking at him curiously.

"You and Monsieur Darcy are good friends?" he asked and rolled over to lie on his stomach while hugging a pillow. Levi returned to the chair next to the bed and sat down with a sigh before answering.

"Yes, we have known each other for ten years."

"That's a long time," Eren said and hugged the pillow tighter.

"Shall we begin?" Levi asked, wanting to change the subject - or rather not talk at all. He just wanted to paint the god damn boy now, he had waited long enough, and he was positive that this whole experience would cause him to grow grey hair.

"What do you want me to do, Monsieur?" Eren asked and sat up on his knees, waiting for the painters instructions.

"Just make yourself feel comfortable," Levi answered, looking down at his equipment as he prepared for the project, "And please, just call me Levi."

He looked back up at Eren, just in time to see him get rid of his top and skirt, leaving him in nothing but his panties and garters.

"Stop!" Levi yelled, and Eren froze to the spot, his hand down his underwear to remove the cash before getting rid of the piece of cloth. Despite of this not being what Levi meant when he told the boy to make himself comfortable, he couldn't stop looking at him. The moonlight shined through the windows and cast dark greyish shadows all over the tanned skin. Even though his body was quite slender and a bit feminine, Levi could see the muscles dance under the young skin, showing every line in his body and making the boy almost irresistible. "I didn't mean for you to get comfortable  _like that._ You do understand that I don't want to have intercourse with you, don't you?"

"Of course, Monsieur," Eren answered, not understanding why Levi had stopped him, "You told me to make myself comfortable - I'm most comfortable when I'm naked."

"Oh," Levi said, lifting an eyebrow as this was not really what he had expected, "Well, I can only imagine how uncomfortable those clothes must be."

The statement earned him a giggle from Eren, who offered the painter a kind smile as he got back on the bed, now completely naked. Levi studied him as he settled on his stomach, showing off the toned muscles on his back and his perfectly formed ass.

"Tell me what to do," Eren said, turning a bit to look at the painter, who turned his eyes from the boy's body to the paper in front of him, and began sketching the lines of Eren's body.

"Just relax."

"You don't want me to do anything?"

"No, you are beautiful as you are," Levi spoke lowly, already completely focused on his work.

"You keep saying that," Eren mumbled, as a deep purr escaped his throat. Levi looked up by the sound, remembering something similar when Eren straddled him back in the dance-hall.

"Bloody hell," he whispered at the sight that met him. Large cat-ears had grown from Eren's head, the same brown colour as his hair, and one of them twitching to avoid a piece of fabric, hanging from the ceiling and barely touching the tip of the ear. From over the well-formed butt, grew the long tail, swinging slowly from side to side as Eren himself laid on the bed with a happy expression on his face, purring.

Levi let his paper and paintbrush fall the the floor, slowly moving closer to the bed, while Eren opened a shining green eye to look up at him. Levi reached out to touch the soft locks on the boys head, which only made him purr even louder. The painter moved his hand to slowly let his fingers ghost over the cat-ears, making them twitch, and Eren lifted his head to look at him again.

"That tickles," he stated as he stopped purring.

"How on earth do you do that?" Levi whispered, completely fascinated by the ears and tail.

"I'm not allowed to talk about it, so please don't tell Monsieur Erwin, that I told you," Eren said, locking eyes with Levi again as he moved a little closer to him, "I'm a were-cat, Monsieur Levi. It is a very rare species, from what Monsieur Erwin has told me. I've never met another person who could transform to a cat."

"You mean, you can do more than just grow ears and tail?" Levi asked, reaching out to touch the ears again, this time more firmly, earning him another purr from Eren's throat.

"Yes. Normally I'm able to control it completely, which is why Monsieur Erwin wants me to dance on the stage. He says men loves cute girls with ears and tails, and that makes me his headline."

"But you are not a girl, Eren," Levi stated, looking down at the boy's pretty face.

"No, but Monsieur Erwin says that as long as I can pull it off as a girl, I have to pretend that I'm one," Eren said, letting his green eyes wander over Levi's face. He began purring again as their eyes met, making him blush a bit and look away.

"How old are you?" Levi asked, completely forgetting about the painting he should be doing.

"I'm sixteen," Eren answered and rolled around to lie on his back, moving exactly like a cat.

Normally Levi would have turned his head, not wanting to look at another man's junk, but Eren was just too adorable, as he looked more and more cat-like. Levi studied the big green orbs as he could feel them wander over his face, and he let his hand move to Eren's cheek, caressing it gently. Eren began purring again, closing his eyes and letting his tail tab against the mattress.

"How long have you been here?" Levi asked, while caressing the boys soft skin.

"At the La Maison des Chats? Four years. I was here when Monsieur Erwin bought it and I danced at the grand opening," Eren answered over his purr, still keeping his eyes closed.

"You have been working here since you were twelve?" Levi choked, not willing to believe that there were actually men out there who would pay for a twelve-year-old prostitute. Why would Erwin even allow that to happen?

"Can you transform completely?" Levi asked, still curious about the rare creature he had met.

"Oui," Eren answered and closed his eyes again. Levi looked at him, as his body slowly shrunk while getting covered with brown and white fur, his fingers shortened and turned into paws with soft pink pads and the the hint of sharp claws. His eyes turned to a more yellowish kind of green and his pupils changed while looking up at the painter. Eren's nose changed to a little pink snout and as he opened his mouth a bit, Levi could see the pointy teeth and the flat pink tongue. The boy had transformed to a full-grown house-cat, and he rolled over on it's stomach, looking up at Levi before letting a low meow escape his mouth.

"Bloody hell," Levi whispered and slowly moved his hand closer to the cat, almost unable to believe that this was in fact Eren, even though he had seen him transform just a moment ago. Eren kept his eyes on Levi without moving a single whisker, and began purring again as Levi gently nuzzled him behind the ear.

"Can you still understand what I'm saying?" Levi asked, and Eren got on his feet, nodding once. "Amazing," Levi said, completely lost for words.

Eren walked over the bed and stopped at the edge, inches away from Levi's face. The cat leaned in to sniff him, and Levi let him do as he pleased. Then Eren let his warm rough tongue out, and placed a single lick on the painter's cheek before letting his forehead touch the older man. Levi looked at the cat with a puzzled expression as Eren just sat there, looking boldly at him while purring.

"Oh my, I forgot about the painting," Levi said, as he remembered his job for the night. It felt weird to talk to a cat like it was human, but he knew this specific cat  _was_  indeed a human-being. "Can you transform back, Eren?" he asked, looking down at the cat.

Nothing happened.

"You are able to transform back into a human, aren't you?" Levi asked, a bit more insistent this time. The cat nodded.

"But you do not want to right now?"

Eren blinked and rolled onto his back again, purring and looking up at the man with an adorable look on his face.

"You want me to pet you, is that it?" he asked, lifting his eyebrow, and thinking he was going mad, talking to a cat like this. Eren just blinked at him and tapped his tail against the mattress.

"Will you promise me to transform back later, if I pet you now? I need to get this work finished by morning," Levi said, still doubting his sanity. Eren blinked again and purred lowly as an answer.

Levi let a defeated sigh escape his lips and pulled out the bottle of whiskey, Hanji had brought him. This was going to be one long night, and he hadn't even slept that much since he left London. It felt like it had been weeks since the last time he had looked at the Thames from his apartment. So many things had happened since he came to Paris, and he had a feeling it was just the beginning.

Eren let a muffled meow escape his throat, to make sure Levi didn't forget about him, and Levi looked down at the adorable creature on the bed, still lying on his back, exposing the soft white fur on his stomach, and looking up at the painter with wide green eyes. Levi sighed again and took a huge sip of the bottle, not caring about glasses and British etiquette any more.

He began nuzzling Eren's soft stomach, earning him a deeper purr and Eren closed his eyes. This was just too weird; Levi had never experienced anything like this back in London, and as soon as he sat his feet in Paris, all sorts of crazy things happened. He really just wanted to paint and earn his money, but somehow he had ended up working for a man who owned a brothel, where he had to  _pay_  to work, and pet a prostitute who could turn himself into a cat. This was  _not_  normal!

But Eren was a cute cat, and he was a very beautiful boy. Levi let a gentle smile settle on his face, as he tickled Eren on his chest, earning him a squeaking sound and Eren tried to catch his hand with his paws. It was obvious that the boy did his best not to use his claws, but as he got a bit more playful, wanting to catch Levi's hand, he accidentally scratched his finger. Levi jerked back and looked at his hand where a thin line of blood broke the otherwise perfect, pale skin.

Eren got up on all four again, and jumped towards Levi, who barely managed to catch him with his free hand. Eren reached his paws out and grabbed Levi's injured hand gently, pulling it closer and began to lick the scratch over and over. Levi looked down at the cat in his arms, still not understanding how he ended up like this.

"Say, Eren," Levi started, after Eren had cuddled up against his chest, still licking the hand, "Do you think you are ready to continue now? I would really like to get my work done and get some sleep soon."

Eren looked up at him before nodding. He jumped back onto the bed and transformed mid-air, landing flat on his stomach, butt-naked in human-form.

"Thank you, Monsieur Levi," he purred and settled himself on the bed, getting ready for Levi to continue painting him.

"Just Levi," the painter mumbled, as he got back on the chair and picked up his water-colours.


	4. Striking the Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi goes to a meeting with Erwin, to discuss the details on Levi’s work.

Levi returned to Hanji's apartment the next morning. He was exhausted and had spend way too much time trying to recall the way back to her home, taking wrong turns and communicating with bystanders to help him find the right way, without any luck, but at last he was there. He knocked violently on the door, until Hanji finally opened the door, only wearing an oversize shirt, which hung loosely around her body. Levi sent her a surprised look by her appearance, as he had never seen her with such tangled hair and dark circles under her eyes.

"You're so noisy," she mumbled, obviously hungover.

"And you are a lousy excuse of a friend," Levi hissed back, pushing her away to make his way inside the small apartment, "Why didn't you tell me about Eren?"

Hanji sighed and closed the door behind him, as she followed him to the living-room, holding onto everything in sight to make sure to stay on her wobbly legs.

"Do we really need to have this conversation now?" she asked and rubbed her sore eyes, "I'm so hungover, you won't believe it."

"Yes, we need to have this conversation now. Let that be your punishment," Levi smirked, feeling lucky that he was only tired and not hungover like her. He had actually planned on sleeping before giving Hanji a third degree, but seeing this opportunity to pay her back, he decided the sleep could wait.

Hanji sighed and rubbed her forehead, knowing there was no way she could persuade him to let this wait for a more decent hour of day. She went to the kitchen to make tea while Levi sat down on the couch after neatly hanging his jacket and top-hat on a chair nearby. He kept his eyes on his friend, while she walked back and forth in the small kitchen, looking for clean tea-cups and something to strengthen herself. She knocked over a few empty bottles, looking for a drop of booze, but it was no use.

"Why is the rum gone?" she mumbled to herself, after checking every single bottle in the kitchen. Levi leaned over to grab his jacket and retrieve the small whiskey-bottle from his inner-pocket. He threw it at Hanji who barely managed to catch it, but sent him a grateful look as she emptied the bottle of what was left of the liquid.

She brought in a small wooden tray with two cups and a tea-kettle, and placed in on the coffee-table before sitting down on the couch next to Levi, who still followed her with his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me he is a boy?" Levi asked calmly while Hanji poured him a cup of tea, still looking quite tired and hungover.

"Is it really that important?" she asked as she placed the cup in front of him, "You weren't gonna have sex with him anyway, were you?"

"Of course not! But I was going to paint him, and I am not sure whether or not I want to make paintings of a boy," Levi answered, and took a sip of his tea.

"Why not? He's still a gorgeous boy, and he  _does_  look quite feminine. I'm not sure people will notice," she said and leaned back against the arm-rest, closing her eyes to avoid the sunlight, "And you can just paint him with a really nice pair of breasts, if that's what's missing."

Levi shook her a furious glance and placed the cup back on the coffee-table. Hanji ignored his glare as she poured herself a cup of tea and leaned back in the couch, pulling up her legs up to get a bit more comfortable.

"That does not change the fact that you made a complete fool of me!" he said, raising his voice at the hungover woman.

"You made a fool of yourself, Levi. You paid him, didn't you?" Hanji asked and locked eyes with the painter, "Mister Erwin told me he had offered you the night alone with the boy  _for free_ , so he could see if he really wanted to hire you. Yet, you paid Eren."

"I had to," Levi huffed coldly, lowering his voice again and taking another sip of his tea, "The boy said he hadn't earned any money the last couple of days and he was quite desperate."

"What are you talking about? He earned plenty during his show. I stuffed his skirt with 50 francs for Christ's sake!" Hanji exclaimed, sending Levi a confused look.

"Yes, I saw that," Levi spoke calmly, and straightened his back before sipping his tea, "The boy told me that the money he makes on stage, is for Mister Erwin. Eren gets about twenty percent of what he earns from his clients."

"You must have misunderstood something, Levi," Hanji said after looking at him in disbelief for a moment.

"I most certainly haven't! That is exactly what the boy told me!"

"I think the boy fooled you, then," Hanji said, her voice still heavy from her hangover, "I've spend time with some of the other girls, and they all told me the exact same thing as Mister Erwin told me, back when I met him; they get around fifty percent of what they earn from their client, but everything they earn on stage is for them alone."

"No, that's not it!" Levi insisted, "I don't think Eren would lie about such things."

"He's a hooker, isn't he?" Hanji asked, sending Levi a knowing look to remind him about what he had said about the girls the previous night, "He earns his money by making people believe what they want to believe."

Levi was about to open his mouth and yell at her, but then he remembered that Hanji didn't knew about Eren being a were-cat. She had told him during the show last night, that she had tried to figure out how Eren's ears and tail could appear out of thin air - if she knew about his secret, then the ears wouldn't be much of a mystery to her. And Eren had chosen to tell Levi about his secret, so why would he lie to get his money? It would be foolish to cheat someone who knew his deepest secret, especially since Erwin didn't want him to tell anyone about it - and Eren didn't seem like a fool.

Levi chose not to continue on the subject, and Hanji was too tired to insist on him admitting he was wrong - which he wasn't!

"Anyway," Levi said calmly, taking another sip of his tea with an expressionless face, "I want you to teach me the French language."

"Oh? I thought you only cared about the French currency?" she asked with a teasing tone, leaning in to reach her own cup of tea.

"Yes, but I realize that it will probably be easier for me to sell my paintings if I can converse in French. I don't need to learn the entire French vocabulary, so just teach me what I need to know to have a normal conversation," Levi answered, as he felt the tiredness slowly sneak in on him again.

"Well, French is the language of love, after all," Hanji said as a smug smile settled on her face.

"Bugger off," Levi hissed and got up from the couch, "Just teach me the bloody language."

"Where are you going?" Hanji asked as Levi moved around the coffee-table.

"I'm going to get some sleep. You better be quiet or I will let my fist teach you the language of violence."

"Come on, you're not gonna claim the bedroom, are you?" Hanji complained and moved around in the couch to look after her friend.

"Yes, I am. Let that be your punishment."

"I thought you already punished me?"

"Not enough," Levi smirked and sent her a dark look before slamming the door to the bedroom behind him, leaving his hungover friend alone on the couch.

As he loosened his cravat, he looked at himself in the mirror. He had dark circles under his eyes, which only made him realize how tired he was by now, but he just couldn't get Eren out of his head. He understood why Hanji would think he had cheated him into paying for the night, but the desperation in the boy's voice had seem genuine. As he let himself dump down on the mattress, the last thought that went through his head before falling asleep, was how much he wanted to paint Eren again.

 

* * *

 

"I must say, I really like your style, Monsieur Levi," Erwin said impressed, as he looked at the sketches and paintings of Eren.

"I thought so," Levi huffed and let a smug smile settle on his face.

After getting a good eight hours of sleep, Levi was ready to sell himself to Erwin, which was why he found himself in his office once again. The taller man was sitting by his desk and looking quite satisfied with the painter's work. Levi himself was sitting in the exact same place as he did during their last meeting, sipping a cup of tea and feeling pretty confident about himself. He knew that he was talented and he knew how much he was worth, and he was more that ready to negotiate his salary with the tall blonde.

"How much would you say you are worth?" Erwin asked and offered the painter a cigarette. Levi politely declined and settled with his tea.

"That depends on how many posters you need," he answered and took a moment to think about it, "But for a man with my talent and reputation, I think 500 francs per poster is a fair prize."

Erwin coughed on his cigarette and had to take a sip of his tea before clearing his throat and sending Levi a look of disbelief.

"You must be kidding me," he said and took another drag of his cigarette.

"Not at all, Monsieur Erwin," Levi said calmly, "My time is expensive. And you don't seem to have any other painters at hand, so if you want the new posters any time soon, I will recommend you take my offer. "

"500 francs is too much, I'm trying to run a business here. And you don't seem to have any other jobs at hand either, Monsieur Levi," Erwin said and leaned in over the desk between the them.

"How much are you willing to pay me then?"

"300 francs per poster," Erwin answered, "And if you can get it done within two months, then I'll throw in a bonus."

"300 francs is not enough," Levi stated, and sent the other man a firm look.

"350 is my final offer, plus the three hours weekly with Chasseuse!"

"Well, then I might just take 450 and pay for the boy myself," Levi smirked and leaned in over the desk as well.

"Please, address her as Mademoiselle Chasseuse, that's what she prefers," Erwin said and took another deep drag of his cigarette before getting back to the negotiations; "And it's hardly worth it for you to pay for her time. 375."

"And why is that?" Levi asked, seeing an opportunity to get more information about Eren.

"You will be paying for a service you won't be enjoying, Monsieur Levi. I think a man with your talent can get models to work for free, so why pay a prostitute?"

"You are absolutely right about that," Levi said and leaned back in the seat with a smug expression, "Which is why you should understand that my work is worth far more that 375 francs."

Erwin shook him a confused look before realizing the trap he had walked right into. Then he laughed and took a final drag of his cigarette before putting it out in the large silver ashtray on his desk.

"Very well, Monsieur Levi," he laughed and took a sip of his tea, "I'll pay you 410 francs per poster plus the three hours weekly with Chasseuse, and the bonus if you finish the posters within two months. How does that sound?"

"You just got yourself a deal, Monsieur Erwin," Levi said and leaned in to seal the deal with a handshake.

"Now, let me show you around and introduce you to some of the girls. I believe you would want to see what you're going to advertise."

Erwin showed Levi around the building, which was much bigger than it seemed from the outside. He led him down the many dark hallways leading to the girls' rooms and introduced him to the few of them who didn't sleep or had clients at the moment, some of them who Levi faintly remembered to have seen on the stage the previous night. Most of them waved at him with their long lashes and talked to him in low flirty tones, obviously hoping to get a visit from the painter at some time.

Levi decided to be polite to make his work with Erwin go as smoothly as possible, but he didn't really care about any of the girls. Erwin pointed out the best dancers for him, which he would be making posters of, and Levi wrote down their names and asked them what time of day they would prefer to model for him. Most of them seemed flattered by his questions, and told him that they would always be at his service. Levi had trouble hiding his disgusted expression as he found them vulgar and shameless, and he let out an inaudible sigh as he and Erwin moved on.

Erwin showed him the way to the stage while telling the painter how he wanted the posters.

"I have the impression that you prefer to paint in light colours, Monsieur Levi," he said while leading the other man to the dressing-room, where a few tailors were working on new costumes and a single girl was trying on something that just looked like a lot of feathers to the painter. They all looked up as the two men entered the room, but Erwin ignored them. "You use a lot of green and blue colours, am I right?"

"Yes," Levi answered and scowled at the many colourful costumes in the room, "People get the feeling of freedom from the green colours, and I believe most people need something that makes them feel free."

"But, as you see, we don't really use those colours at the La Maison des Chats," Erwin said and snapped his fingers at one of the tailors and told him that the girl wore too many feathers before continuing, "I hope you are willing to change your style for this project."

"You want me to paint in darker and more passionate colours," Levi stated, knowing exactly what Erwin wanted from him, "Red, Bordeaux, purple, gold?"

"Exactly, Monsieur Levi, I like the way you think," Erwin smirked and led him out of the room again.

"I do know how to please my costumers," Levi said, hoping the tour would end soon.

"Then you will fit in here perfectly," Erwin smirked and let out a laugh at his own joke. Levi let a displeased frown cross his face but didn't let Erwin see it.

As the tour around the La Maison des Chats finally ended by the hallway to the scene, Erwin turned towards Levi again.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Monsieur Levi," Erwin smiled and patted the painter on the shoulder.

"Likewise," Levi said, and offered the taller man a handshake.

"I assume you and Monsieur Darcy will be visiting us often then?" Erwin asked and took Levi's hand.

"I think Mister Darcy will be visiting quite often no matter what," Levi huffed, thinking about his perverted friend who apparently loved to watch girls taking off their clothes.

"Please come too," Erwin said without letting go of Levi's hand, "It will make it easier for us to work together, and of course both you and Monsieur Darcy will get special treatment."

"What do you mean?" Levi asked, hoping the tall blonde would let go of his hand soon.

"Since we're working together, I will offer you the best treatment the La Maison des Chats can offer. Free access to the shows, the best seats, discount at the bar," Erwin listed up, "Discount on the girls, even."

"I am not interested in such services," Levi said as politely as possible but leaving no doubt that he was serious.

"That includes Mademoiselle Chasseuse," Erwin smirked, noticing the small change in Levi's eyes by the mentioning of Eren. "I take that as a yes, then!"

"You can leave the discount for Darcy," Levi huffed and pulled his hand back.

"Are you coming to watch the show tonight, then?" Erwin asked, suppressing a laugh at Levi's displeased expression.

"I don't think so. I might want to spend the evening working. It's a big project and I'm going to get that bonus you're offering me," Levi answered and nodded at Erwin as goodbye as he turned around to leave.

He went behind the stage and found the stairs leading to the dance-hall as music began playing from the band, hidden between the stage and the floor. He moved between the tables in the hall, where he and Hanji had been seated the previous night, heading for the exit. Without looking back at the stage, he could hear that someone was rehearsing but he didn't care to look.

"Monsieur Levi!"

Levi stopped and turned around to look at the stage, where the familiar voice came from. Eren had stopped moving as he saw Levi, waving at him from the middle of the scene where he was straddling a chair with his legs wide open.

"Chasseuse, get back to work," Erwin's voice sounded from the corner of the stage, where he had apparently gone to after Levi left him.

"Pardon, Monsieur Erwin, it will only take a moment," Eren apologized and got up from the chair in a swift movement.

Levi looked at Erwin who waved his hand at Eren, signalling for him to do as he pleased. Eren thanked him and ran down the catwalk as fast as he could in his high heels. He jumped gracefully from the edge and landed on the floor almost without making a sound, before walking the last few steps towards Levi. The painter studied the boy as he approached him with a bright smile. He was wearing a very tight corset, which made his slim figure seem even more slender and Levi wondered how he was able to breath in that outfit.

"I just wanted to thank you, Monsieur," Eren said lowly as he stopped in front of the older man, "I really appreciate your help last night."

"What are you talking about?" Levi asked, lifting his eyebrow at the boy.

"The money you gave me last night," Eren elaborated, looking back over his shoulder at his boss, who kept a firm look at him, "You really saved me, Monsieur, thank you."

Levi looked at Eren with a puzzled expression, trying to figure out what on earth he was talking about. He remembered what Hanji had said about Eren having tricked him into paying him last night, and studied Eren's green eyes to find a sign of confirmation about what she had said. Eren looked at him with honesty in his eyes and offered the painter a sweet smile.

"Will you be seeing the show tonight, Monsieur?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

"I don't think so," Levi answered and looked away, "I have work to do."

"Oh, I hope you will come to see the show again soon," Eren smiled and cocked his head, "And will you be painting me again soon?"

"If not sooner, then Saturday," Levi answered and looked over Eren's shoulder at Erwin, who still kept his eyes on them.

"Thank you, Monsieur," Eren said and turned around to leave for the stage, before his boss would get angry at him. He looked back at Levi over his shoulder; "I... I look forward to work with you again."

Eren ran towards the scene and jumped back up as gracefully as always, before Levi could manage to answer him. Erwin snapped his fingers at the boy and the musicians and yelled something in French as Eren got back on the chair and the music began playing again. As Eren began singing and moving, he looked down at Levi again and send him another sweet smile.

Levi turned around and headed for the exit without returning the smile. As he moved between the tables he could feel Eren's eyes on him until he walked though the golden doors and turned down the dark hallway.

Eren looked after Levi, not able to take his eyes off the Englishman. Distracted as he was, he tripped over the chair as he moved his leg to place a foot on the seat, but his animal-like reflexes allowed him to catch his balance before falling, and he looked back at Erwin to see if he had noticed his mistake.

Erwin had his back turned towards Eren, apparently talking to one of the tailors who had come to talk to him about a costume. Eren sighed in relief before continuing his song and moving as if nothing had happened.

He really hoped Levi would come back soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really pay much attention during my history-classes and all I know about old France is what I've learned from Moulin Rouge and Phantom of the Opera. So yeah, I'm researching the living shit out of this fic to make it as realistic as possible - aside from the supernatural elements, such as Eren being a were-cat of course. Please let me know if you find any errors.
> 
> And thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> Update: Someone pointed out that my french was completely off, so I corrected the errors, and hopefully it won't happen again.


	5. Priorities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi visits Eren again during the night, wanting to paint him, but Eren refuses to return to his human-form. It turns out he had a client earlier that night, who treated him roughly.

A couple of days later, Levi once again found himself in front of the heavy wooden-door, leading to Eren's room. He was actually feeling a bit tired from the last couple of days' hard work, which had included meetings with Erwin and making sketches for the posters, drawing nearly naked girls, studying their costumes and getting to know the neighbourhood. He had barely gotten any sleep since he came to Paris, but he needed a night off now - which he wanted to spend on making a painting of Eren.

He had told Hanji about Erwin giving both of them the best privileges La Maison des Chats could offer, and she had tried to drag him along to watch the shows ever since. He had refused and told her that unlike her, he had work to do. He knew he could easily manage to earn the bonus and finish the job within the two months he had been given, and he wasn't interested in working for Erwin longer than necessary. Hanji had tried to teach him the basics of the French language, but it was really far from English, and he was close to giving up and just let his paintings sell themselves. He had forced her to show him around and point out the best parks and green areas in Paris, but somehow he didn't felt like painting anything other than Eren. Which was why he had decided to pay for the boys time and spend the night painting him.

Levi knocked on the door, but nothing happened. He leaned in, trying to listen through the door, and then knocked again. As he still didn't get an answer, he looked at Gunther - the guard, who's only job apparently was to keep watch over Eren - and asked him if Chasseuse was in there. He got a single nod in return and when he asked if she was alone, Gunther nodded again.

Levi frowned at the guard, who apparently wasn't talkative at all, and decided not to wait for Eren to answer the door. He opened the door slowly and looked inside, before letting himself in and closing the door behind him. The room was dark, aside from the moonlight shining through the windows. The owner of the room was nowhere in sight.

"Eren?" Levi asked, and looked around, trying to find a sign that the boy was in the room.

He began to question whether the boy was even there and if Gunther had understood his question. The only thing that moved was the many thin curtains over the bed, flowing in the wind from the open entrance to the balcony. Levi moved further inside the dark room, looking around to see if the boy was sleeping or hiding in one of the corners. He was still nowhere to be found.

Levi placed his painting-equipment on a table near the door and approached the balcony. As he went outside and let the moonlight touch his body, he finally saw the boy - or rather, the cat. He was curled up in the corner of the railing around the balcony, trying to hide in the shadows, but his white fur stood out in the moonlight.

"Eren," Levi said lowly and approached the cat, who still pretended not to be there, "I'm sorry, you prefer Chasseuse, right?"

Eren finally looked up at him and hissed loudly, showing his teeth, letting his coat bristle and tail frizz. Levi jerked back at the aggressive reaction and sent Eren a puzzled look. Eren curled up against the cold stone-wall again and turned his eyes to the rooftops surrounding the building.

"What's the matter?" Levi asked and slowly approached the cat again. Eren ignored him and kept his eyes at the city. Levi hesitated before reaching out and gently touching Eren. The cat lowered his head to avoid the touch, but as Levi gently began nuzzling him behind the ear, he leaned into the caress.

"Are you okay?" Levi asked lowly and knelt down next to the railing. Eren turned his head to look up at him with bright green eyes, and let out a muffled meow. "I do not speak cat," the painter huffed and lifted his eyebrow at the cat in front of him. Eren sent him an annoyed look in return, and turned his head to the view once again.

"Now, come on," Levi said and began nuzzling him behind the ear again, "Tell me what happened."

Eren still refused to look at him, but began purring lowly as Levi used his other hand to stroke his back. Annoyed by his own reaction, Eren began swinging his tail violently from side to side.

"While you're quite adorable as a cat, I refuse to spend my money on petting you," Levi sighed as Eren still wouldn't turn back to his normal self, "If something bad happened, then please return to your human-form and tell me about it, or I will go home and tell Monsieur Erwin that I won't pay him to play with his pet."

Eren shook him a furious look and sat up as he slowly returned to his human-form while keeping his eyes locked with Levi's. Levi stood up as the boy transformed, thinking that he didn't want his face to be at the level of the railing when Eren had turned human.

"You promised me not to tell Monsieur Erwin that I showed you my cat-form!" Eren yelled, now sitting butt-naked at the cold stone railing.

"And I won't," Levi said coldly and looked down at the boy, "But it worked, didn't it?"

Realizing he had fallen for Levi's trick, Eren's cheeks turned red from fury and he let his ears and tail pop out again, obviously ready to turn back to his cat-form but Levi grabbed his wrist and pulled him down from the railing and inside the dark room.

"Stop that, I was serious about not wanting to spend my money on entertaining a pet," he hissed and pulled a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around Eren's naked body, "Now get some clothes on, for Christ sake, before you catch a cold."

Eren kept his eyes on the painter's stubborn face, studying him with narrowed green eyes, trying to figure out his motives.

"Why are you doing this, Monsieur Levi?" he then asked in a softer tone, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself.

"I told you, I refuse to spend my money-"

"No, I mean - why do you even care about me?" Eren cut him off and sat down at the edge of the bed. From what Levi could see, Eren's face wore a serious frown as he still kept his eyes on him. He turned to close the door to the balcony and went around the room to turn on a few kerosene lamps, before pulling a chair closer to the bed, where he sat down, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Yes, why indeed?" he said, trying to figure out why he actually cared, "I guess I just don't want my muse to get sick."

"I'm hardly your muse, Monsieur," Eren huffed in disbelief and looked away.

"Muses comes in many shapes,  _Mademoiselle Chasseuse,_ " - he said the name in a slightly mocking tone - "Mine just happened to be a were-cat and a prostitute from Paris, no matter how unlikely it sounds."

Levi leaned back in the chair, straightening his clothes, and sent Eren a cold look, remembering what he came for. He thought about ordering the boy to strike a pose and move on with his work without talking to him more than necessary, but something in Eren's eyes made him hesitate. Eren kept pulling the blanket tighter around his body and didn't let their eyes meet.

"What's with the attitude?" Levi asked and crossed his arms under his chest, "You seemed so... flirty and careless the last time I was here."

"I'm sorry, Monsieur, I know this isn't what you pay me for," Eren sighed and made a move to get up from the bed, "Just give me a minute to get dressed and then I'll be right back to my usual self, I promise."

"That is not what I meant," Levi said calmly, "Sit down. You do not have to put up an act for me."

Eren sat down at the edge of the bed again, looking a bit confused.

"Why were you out there in the middle of the night?" Levi asked and let a more friendly expression settle on his face.

"I just needed some fresh air," Eren answered, obviously finding it weird to be himself in front of a 'client'.

"Don't lie to me," the painter said and locked eyes with the boy again, "You were curled up in your cat-form and refused to talk to me. Tell me what happened."

Eren stared at him in wonder, not understanding why the painter cared about why he was in a bad mood, but then he sighed and moved a bit closer to him. He let go of the blanket and let it pool around his crotch to reveal several dark bruises and small wounds. Levi looked down the boy's body with an expressionless look, but wondered how he could have missed the marks when Eren returned to his human-form at the balcony.

"I had a client shortly before you came to see me," Eren said lowly, "He... He did this to me and didn't let me prepare myself properly before having se-"

"Yes, I understand," Levi cut him off, not wanting to get unnecessary pictures in his head, and gestured for Eren to continue.

"It hurts," Eren stated and locked eyes with Levi again. His face looked strangely relaxed but his eyes showed how traumatizing the experience had been to him. "I wanted to be alone and lick my wounds, but then you showed up, Monsieur."

"I'm sorry," Levi said lowly, feeling a little pinch in his chest by Eren's tale about the client.

"No, I'm glad it was you," Eren said, letting a tiny smile cross his face, "That means I won't be having any other clients tonight."

Levi studied the boy in front of him, who seemed a bit flustered and tried to cover his bruised skin again. He wasn't sure if he should take it as a compliment that Eren was glad he was there, and he especially couldn't figure out why he cared about what had happened to him. He had come to paint and it was extremely frustrating to be pulled into the life of a prostitute like that, but he couldn't get himself to treat Eren any differently. He sighed and got up from the chair, moving towards the door while Eren looked at him with a confused expression. Levi opened the door to the hallway and snapped his fingers at Gunther, who happened to take a nap during his watch.

"You!" Levi said loudly, waking up the guard, "Bring me some ice. And make it snappy, or I will inform Monsieur Erwin that you were sleeping during your watch."

"O-oui, Monsieur!" the guard said and bowed, before heading down the hallway to execute his orders.

Levi returned to the chair without saying anything and Eren just looked at him in wonder. He felt both confused about the kind act, and impressed by Levi's way of ordering the staff around. Levi leaned back in the chair and sighed, dragging his hand trough his black locks.

A few moments later, Gunther returned with a silver-bowl filled with ice, placed it on the table and excused himself before shutting the door behind him.

Levi went up to get the ice and placed the bowl on the chair, before sitting down on the floor next to the bed.

"Lay down," he ordered, while wrapping a few pieces of ice in a piece of cloth from the bed. Eren did as told and laid down on his back, keeping his eyes on Levi. The painter gently removed the blanket from Eren's torso and placed the ice on one of his bruises. Eren shuddered from the cold sensation on his naked chest but didn't fight Levi's attempt to help him.

"It's cold," Eren stated with a shaky voice as goosebumps grew all over his body.

"I know, but it will sooth the pain," Levi said without looking at Eren's face, focusing on covering the bruises in ice. "Why would you let a client do this to you? Are you some kind of masochist?"

"No, not at all, Monsieur," Eren answered and looked at the ceiling while Levi treated his sore body.

"I asked you to call me Levi," Levi said, still tired of the French language, and even more after his lessons with Hanji. Eren let out a small laugh, but didn't say anything. "Why did you let your client treat you like this? I thought you were Monsieur Erwin's precious star, and that you were to take care of yourself."

"That is correct, Monsieur," Eren answered and Levi sighed at his insistence on calling him Monsieur, but didn't care to correct him again. "But this client is special. He is one of Monsieur Erwin's most generous benefiters, and I've been told to let him do as he pleases, to make sure he keeps giving Monsieur Erwin money."

Levi stopped his treatment and looked at Eren with a frown on his face. Everything Eren told him about Erwin and La Maison des Chats seemed to be the complete opposite of what Erwin had told him. Being one of the most popular nightclubs in Paris, Erwin should earn plenty of money and not have to let his benefiters treat his girls - and boy - like this. Eren blushed a bit by the frown he was met with, and looked away.

"Please, don't look at me like that, Monsieur," he said lowly and scratched his neck.

"Turn around, please," Levi said, after checking the bruises on Eren's chest. The swelling had gotten better already, and he wanted to give the bruises on the boy's back the same treatment. Eren moved on the bed to lay on his stomach, making the blanket move halfway down his ass, but he didn't care. He rested his head on his arms and looked at Levi again. The painter began placing fresh ice on Eren's back, ignoring the boy's eyes on him. A couple of moments went by before Levi spoke up again, still not looking at Eren.

"Why are you here?"

"It's my room, Monsieur," Eren answered with a confused tone, not sure if he understood the question.

"No, why are you here - at La Maison des Chats?" Levi corrected himself, "You don't seem to be happy here."

"It's my home," Eren answered and lifted his head to look at his hands, fiddling with the sheet under him.

"What about your family?" Levi asked after another moment of silence. He knew he shouldn't get involved in something like this, but he was too curious - and there was just something about Eren. He wasn't sure what the boy triggered in him, but he couldn't get himself to stop caring about him.

"I..." Eren hesitated for a moment, but then he continued, "I don't have any family. I was abandoned as a kitten - or child - and I lived on the streets until Monsieur Erwin picked me up and brought me here."

Levi stopped the treatment to look at Eren, not able to hide that he was taken aback by what Eren had told him. How anyone was able to abandon such a gorgeous - and very kind, actually - kid, was beyond his imagination. Even with all the bruises and scratches, he couldn't picture Eren living alone on the street, as he laid there gracefully on the over-sized bed with his bright green eyes and apologizing smile, as he saw Levi's reaction to his story.

"I'm sorry, Monsieur, I'm talking too much," he said with a shy smile.

"No. I told you to stop acting, and besides, I asked you myself," Levi said and turned to rest his shoulder against the bed, letting the ice work it's miracles on Eren's back. "Tell me more."

"There's not much to tell," Eren said and smiled again, feeling a bit flattered about the painters interest in him.

"Why are you staying if you don't like it here?"

"I have no talent aside from spreading my legs, Monsieur," Eren answered, and giggled a bit by Levi's reaction to his choice of words, "I wouldn't know what to do if I ran away."

"You are young, you've got plenty of opportunities," Levi said, trying to cheer Eren on, but he really hoped Eren wouldn't ask him which opportunities. If he had been living on the street till the age of twelve, then he obviously didn't have any kind of education, and all Levi knew about the boy was that he could dance, sing and 'spread his legs' to use his own words. "You shouldn't settle on being a prostitute," he continued before Eren could ask.

"You don't understand how this place works, Monsieur Levi," Eren said and looked down at his hands again, "I can't just leave. I just can't."

"If you really can't leave, then why don't you just work as a doorman or guard? I don't understand why you would allow those rich bastards to abuse you, just because Monsieur Erwin wants more money," Levi insisted, moving a bit closer to Eren's head to force him to look at him.

"No, you don't understand, and you don't need to either," Eren said and raised his voice a bit. Levi sensed that Eren felt cornered up by now, and something in him wanted to press the boy further, but the tense expression on Eren's face made him hold back. Eren bit his lower lip and took a deep breath. "Please, Monsieur, just leave it."

"Fine, brat," Levi huffed and moved back to change the ice on Eren's back, "Turn around again."

Eren rolled over to expose his tanned chest, and Levi checked the bruises and laid fresh ice on the ones that still needed treatment. Eren stared into the ceiling, none of them saying anything.

"Monsieur Levi?" Eren then asked after a couple of minutes in silence, and got up on his elbows to look at the painter.

"Hm?" Levi mumbled and raised an eyebrow at Eren.

"Please don't call me Chasseuse again."

"I thought you preferred that name?" Levi asked with a dull voice, looking down at the bruises again.

"N-no, I mean..." Eren hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words, "I guess that is my artist-name, but... I really like the way you say my name.  _'Eren'._ " He tried to mimic Levi's accent, but it didn't come out right at all. Levi huffed out a single laugh at Eren's attempt to speak British.

"Then you have to stop calling me Monsieur Levi," he smirked and got up on his knees to take a better look at the bruises, "I have told you many times to call me Levi."

"Levi," Eren purred and smirked back at the painter. Levi noticed a teasing look in his green orbs, before Eren laid back down at the bed and returned his glance to the ceiling.

"I don't know what to do about the scratches, brat," Levi said after letting his fingers brush over Eren's bruised skin, confirming that he had done what he could to help him, "I guess you just have to cover it up somehow, when you're on stage."

"You know, felines tend to lick each others wounds to help them heal faster," Eren said with a teasing smile, and let his eyes wander back down to meet Levi's.

"Too bad I'm not a feline then," Levi teased back, letting a smug smile cross his lips. He ruffled Eren's hair, earning him a low purr, and got up from the floor. "Get some sleep, brat. I'm heading back home." He pulled out a bundle of cash from his inner-pocket and threw a hundred francs on the mattress next to Eren, who got up to count the money.

"You gave me too much, Monsie - I mean, Levi," he said and got up to return the money.

"No, I'm paying for the entire night. Use your free-time wisely," Levi stated and looked back at the boy while he tried to wrap the blanket around his waist.

"It's still too much," he said, and handed twenty francs back to the painter.

"Then I guess you get more than twenty percent tonight," Levi smirked and headed towards the door.

"Wait, Levi," Eren said and grabbed Levi's wrist. He turned around with a questioning look in his eyes, and Eren sent him a bright smile. "Come watch the show tomorrow."

Levi wanted to yell at Eren and tell him that he didn't came to Paris to waste his time on naked girls and poor entertaining. He wanted to tell him not to ask such foolish things of him. He wanted to tell him not to get too friendly with him, because after all, he was only there to paint him. But Eren's bright and hopeful smile made him keep his mouth shut, and he let a frown settle on his face.

"I will think about it," he huffed and looked down at Eren's fingers around his wrist, "Don't get your hopes up, I am a busy man."

Eren let go of his wrist and folded his hands in front of him, still smiling brightly.

"I hope you find the time," he beamed and cocked his head, making him look unbearably adorable.

Levi lifted his eyebrow at him before sighing and opening the door in front of him. He waved back at Eren without looking at him, as he left the room and made sure to shut the door behind him. The guard was sleeping against the wall again, and Levi didn't care to wake him up, only to inform him that he had paid for the whole night, and that he shouldn't let any other clients visit Eren.

He walked down the hallway, trying to convince himself that his uncharacteristic behaviour around the brat was only due to lack of sleep. He went back to Hanji's apartment, trying not to think about it, but as he turned the last corner and went down the street where they lived, he realized he had forgotten his painting-equipment at Eren's room - and that he had completely forgotten to paint him!

Levi sighed and promised himself to go back for it the next day. Maybe he would go watch the show when he was there anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I corrected a few errors in the French parts, 'cause googletranslate sucks. Eren's stagename has been changed from Chasseur to Chasseuse, and the correct name for the club is La Maison des Chats. I'm sorry about the fuckup, and I hope it won't ruin the story that I've changed those things.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I hope you liked it! The next chapter will probably be up soon, 'cause I've been looking forward to writing that chapter ever since I came up with the storyline for this fanfiction.


	6. The Lovecats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Hanji goes to watch the show again, and Eren performs with 'The Lovecats'. After the show, Levi visits Eren’s room to collect his belongings, but is too curious about Eren’s sudden bad mood to just leave right away.

Levi was tired and wanted to go to bed, but as soon as he set his feet in Hanji's apartment, he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep right away. Hanji had gone to bed, and even though she should have learned by now, that he had claimed the bedroom and she was to settle with the couch, he decided to let her sleep for now. She had probably thought that he would spend the entire night painting Eren, and if he wasn't going to sleep anyway, there was no reason to wake her up.

He hang his jacket over a chair, and went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, hoping it would help him relax. His body felt tired from many days of hard work, but his mind was running at full force. Mostly thoughts about Eren.

As he put the kettle on, waiting for the water to boil, he thought about everything Eren had told him that night. It wasn't that he couldn't understand why some people had to abandon their children - or cats for that matter - due to financial issues, since it often happened in London as well. He tried to picture Eren sitting on a street in London, begging for money and very dirty. It was hard to imagine from the few times he had seen Eren. He was always clean and most of the time wore expensive costumes, and even though he didn't look as healthy as other boys his age, he looked nothing like the homeless children he had seen. La Maison des Chats would of course be preferable over the streets, but why would a sixteen year old chose to work as a prostitute? And why did he even care?

Levi sighed and rubbed his face, trying to get the boy out of his head. Why  _did_  he care about him? He had painted so many girls through the years, especially in his early days as a painter, and some of them had he painted several times. Some of them had been very beautiful, and he had wanted to capture every single beauty-spot of their bodies, painting them over and over again; but Eren was different. Maybe his feline-nature played a part, making him a gorgeous fusion between an elegant cat and a very beautiful boy. Maybe it was the tragic fact that such a beauty lived in a brothel and worked as a prostitute. Maybe it just that he was Eren.

He kicked himself mentally for getting involved. He should really put a stop to his desire to paint Eren, and just settle with his work for Erwin, and then move on to paint big-ass trees and green areas as he used to do back in London. The fact that Eren played tricks on his mind, was dangerous. But what was his work really worth if there was no passion?

Levi tried to push the thoughts to the back of his head, knowing he wouldn't be able to come up with a solution now. He made himself a cup of tea and brought it to the living-room, where he sat down on the couch in the dark room. He tried to focus on the aroma from the tea and empty his head, hoping to be able to sleep soon. Everytime he didn't focus on the tea or the posters he was going to make, Eren popped right back into his mind, and he would find himself thinking about which shade of green his eyes was or how the shadows would embrace his tanned body while lying on his bed in his dark room. This was more that desire to paint his beautiful features - he wanted to touch and feel him.

He shook his head, trying to get rid of Eren once and for all. He still wasn't tired enough to kick Hanji out of the bedroom and go to bed.

He felt the urge to paint, and decided to move the easel to the window and paint until he would be able to sleep. He got up from the couch and straightened his back, before pulling out a canvas and his paintbrushes. The view from the window reminded him of the view from Eren's balcony, with the many rooftops over Paris, lit up by the moonlight. Levi loosened his cravat before dipping the tip of the brush in black paint and blended it with blue, searching for the right colour for the night-sky. He emptied his head and began painting. Caught up in his work, he finally managed to let go of his thoughts and just paint.

Several hours later, Hanji joined him in the living-room, only wearing a loose white shirt and sleepy eyes.

"Morning," she yawned and rubbed her eyes, "You're up early."

"I haven't slept yet" Levi mumbled, without looking at her, as he leaned in over the canvas to check the details of a rooftop.

"Why not?" she asked, and moved closer to look at the painting over his shoulder.

"Because that wide ass of yours were occupying the entire bed," he said with a dull voice, still not looking at her.

"That sure as hell haven't stopped you before" she huffed and pushed him away from the easel to take a look at his work, not caring about the insult. Levi growled as he had to step back but he was too tired to argue. "Besides," Hanji said, with her face so close to the canvas that her nose almost touched the painting, "I thought you were gonna spend the night at Eren's room?"

"I was, but," he hesitated, not sure if he should tell Hanji about his talk with Eren. He decided not to. "The boy was tired. I let him off early and went back here to paint."

"You paid him for the entire night, didn't you?"

"Maybe. Yes. What's it to you?" Levi huffed and rubbed his sore eyes.

"Why would you do that? Why are you spending all your money on him?" Hanji asked, looking back at him. The words sounded hard, but there was more curiosity to find in her voice than reproach.

"I don't, and it's none of your business" Levi hissed, sending her an annoyed look through tired eyes.

"I'm only asking you because I care about you," Hanji said lowly and offered him a kind smile, "Eren is a good boy, there's no doubt about that, but he  _is_ a hooker. I just want to make sure you're aware of the soft spot you've evolved for the boy."

"No one has ever managed to take advantage of me, and I do not plan on letting that happen anytime soon," Levi brushed her off. "Now, if you will excuse me - I would like to get some sleep. Don't touch the painting."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Hanji said, returning her attention to the canvas. She heard the door to the bedroom slamming after him, and looked back to see if he was really gone before reaching out to touch the drying painting.

"I said don't touch it!" Levi yelled from behind the closed door, making Hanji jerk back.

"I wasn't!" she answered, thinking that he knew her a little too well. She looked down at the canvas again, studying the painted rooftops under the moon, as she spotted a brown and white cat on one of the roofs, looking up at the sky.

Levi undressed in front of the mirror, studying the dark circles under his eyes. It made him feel old, even though he knew it was from the hard work and lack of sleep. He should have just stayed in London, where he was well-known and didn't have to work so hard to earn his money. Had he just stayed where he belonged, he could have avoided working for Erwin and living with Hanji. And letting a sixteen year old prostitute take over his mind. Eren was way too attractive for him to just paint him and settle on that. He was bold, flirty and seemed very emotional. Hanji was right, he had evolved a soft spot for the boy.

Levi sighed and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't really keep on lying to himself, but he wasn't ready to think that thought to an end. Maybe he was just tired and overwhelmed by what Eren had told him. Hopefully, that was it. As he curled up under the blankets, he fell asleep almost instantly, dreaming about a white and brown cat with gorgeous green eyes.

* * *

Later that night, Hanji and Levi sat at one of the best tables in the dance-hall at La Maison des Chats, getting the very best treatment just like Erwin had promised them. As soon as Hanji had found out that Levi had forgotten his painting-equipment at Eren's room and almost promised the boy to go watch the show that night, she had insisted on them going together and take advantage of Erwin's offer. Of course they didn't have to wait in line or pay to get inside, and they got a table right next to the scene, giving them a very good view of the preforming girls - a little too good a view, Levi thought. He didn't have the urge to see their nearly-naked bodies that up close, unlike Hanji. Erwin had come by their table before the show started, and brought them a bottle of very fine whiskey. They had talked for a bit, and Levi had ended up promising him to come by his office a couple of days later, to show him his progress on the posters. He had left them when the show was about to start, and told them to let the waiters know if they needed anything. Hanji was enjoying the special-treatment, but Levi felt a bit uneasy by the whole thing. He kept thinking that this was not what he had come to Paris for, but there was no way back now.

Luckily the show started before Hanji managed to talk more about it. Levi didn't really pay attention while Ymir and Annie was on the stage, even though they were so close he could practically reach out and touch them. Erwin had probably offered them such good seats to get some of the money, Levi earned from him, back again through the girls, but he wasn't going to give them a single franc.

He ignored Ymir as she danced right past him, shaking her hips in front of his face, and then walked over to Hanji, who didn't hesitate to stuff her panties with a couple of francs.

"You're really boring, you know that?" Hanji whispered as the girls walked off the stage again.

"And you're really annoying," Levi hissed back and focused on his drink as the next girl entered the scene. He didn't care about the tiny blonde girl waltzing around on the stage. He just wanted to watch Eren - no, wait, what was he thinking? He had kind of promised Eren to watch the show, and  _that_  was why he was there. He emptied his glass to get his thoughts back on the right track. He was here because he promised Eren to come, and because Hanji had forced him. And to pick up his painting equipment later. That was it.

The blonde girl - Christa was it? He had talked to her a couple of days ago after a meeting with Erwin, but he wasn't sure he had gotten the name right. She approached him, trying to get his attention by rubbing her chest against his shoulder and placing her long, smooth leg on the arm-rest of his chair. He didn't spare her a single look and she moved on to collect tips from the other guests.

"How can you ignore them when they're all over you?" Hanji said, leaning in over the table between them, and filling their glasses.

"It's called self-control. You should look it up sometime" Levi answered coldly and grabbed his glass as soon as it was full again.

"There's no need for self-control in a place like this," Hanji stated and clicked their glasses against each other. "That's why people come here."

"It's bloody disgusting. There is a reason this is kept behind closed doors. Things like this would never be allowed out on the open street, it's too filthy" Levi said with a frown, and hoped that the show would end soon, so he could go get his bloody equipment.

"Clearly you've never been to Singapore," Hanji smirked and turned her attention towards the stage again as Christa left it and Erwin appeared to present the next performance. As he presented the next name, Levi turned his eyes to the stage.

Eren walked onto the stage with a very pleased smirk, as the music began playing. He wore a tight black corset with white laces and little bows at his hips, and a pair of white ruffle panties, complete with a black garter belt made of laces and white stockings with a big black bow on each thigh. Unlike the last time Levi saw him perform, he wore high black heels, strutting down the catwalk with his tail in his hand, swinging it playfully, while his ears were also showing. He let out a moan as intro to his song, under loud cheering from the crowd.

 _"_ _We move like cagey tigers,_ _  
_ _We couldn't get closer than this,_ _  
_ _The way we walk,_ _  
_ _The way we talk,_ _  
_ _The way we stalk,_ _  
_ _The way we kiss,"_ he sang, letting the last word escape his lips as a whisper, while slowly approaching a chair at the end of the catwalk, placed there just before his performance.

 _"We slip through the streets,  
_ _While everyone sleeps,  
_ _Getting bigger and sleeker,  
_ _And wider and brighter,"_ he sang and smacked his ass down on the chair with his legs spread widely, slowly letting his fingers run up his inner-thighs. He arched his back and let his head roll back, exposing his neck. Then he jerked forward, placing his hands on his knees and leaned forward with his locked with Levi's, cocking his head with a teasing smile, while singing;  _"We bite and scratch and scream all night,  
_ _Let's go and throw,  
_ _All the songs we know."_

Levi's eyes were locked with Eren's, as the boy moved on the chair. Levi wondered how Eren's was able to move like that  _and_ sing, while wearing the tight corset. After seeing him naked a couple of times, he - somehow - remembered every little part of the slender body, and the corset looked so tight that Eren shouldn't even be able to breath normally. Despite that, his movements were as seductive and smooth as ever, and Levi couldn't take his eyes off of him.

Eren got up from the chair gracefully, turned around and leaned his hands against the seat, sticking his ass out, while shaking it. The ruffles on his panties fluttered as he moved his hips, while making little whips with the tip of his tail.

 _"Into the sea,  
_ _You and me,  
_ _All these years and no one heard,  
_ _I'll show you in spring,  
_ _It's a treacherous thing,  
_ _We missed you hissed the lovecats,"_ he sang the last word with a high-pitched moan, and jumped forward to land on the seat again, straddling the chair, moving his hips slowly and straightened his back while slowly pulling his fingers through his hair. While pulling his own head back by the hair, he exposed his neck again and let the spotlight embrace his body, making every nook and line of his shoulders and arms stand out. A thought about wanting to be the chair underneath Eren, crossed Levi's mind and he poured down a full glass of whiskey to get rid of the thought.

 _"We're so wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully pretty!"_  Eren sang, while grabbing the back of the chair with both hands and leaning the chair to the side, looking out at the crowd with a animal-like expression in his green eyes, before letting the chair fall back to place.

 _"Oh, you know that I'd do anything for you,"_  he continued and stood up with one leg on each side of the seat. He pulled the chair out in front of him and spun it around before placing his left foot on the seat.

 _"We should have each other to tea, huh?  
_ _We should have each other with cream,  
_ _Then curl up by the fire,  
_ _And sleep for awhile,  
_ _It's the grooviest thing,  
_ _It's the perfect dream,"_  he purred while locking eyes with Levi again, and leaned in over his leg, slowly letting his fingers touch his leg from the ankle to the knee and all over his thigh to the edge of his panties. He let his finger wander over his hips and chest, and as he got up to stand on the seat, slowly kneeling down while moving his hips from side to side, until his butt almost touched his heels, he sang;

_"Into the sea,_  
 _You and me,_  
 _All these years and no one heard,_  
 _I'll show you in spring,  
_ _It's a treacherous thing -"_

He spread his legs to land on the seat again, and whipped his hair back while touching his thighs again;  _"- we missed you hissed the lovecats!"_

Eren slowly leaned back while holding onto the back on the chair with one hand - _"we're so wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully pretty!"_  - until his back was completely arched and the tips of his hair touched the floor. His eyes shined as he let his hands wander over the corset and slowly pulled his legs up until they were both straight up in the air against the back of the chair.

_"You know that I'd do anything for you,_  
 _We should have each other to dinner,  
_ _We should have each other with cream -"_

Levi swallowed hard, and noticed how dry his throat felt by now. He grabbed his glass to take a sip of his whiskey, and realized that it was already empty. When had he even emptied it? He moved his eyes away from Eren again to pour himself another glass, and took a sip as he let his eyes return to the boy, like he had magnetising powers over him.

_" - Then curl up in the fire,_  
 _Get up for awhile,_  
 _It's the grooviest thing,  
_ _It's the perfect dream."_

Eren let his body fall to the side and landed on the floor without making a sound and began crawling towards the edge of the of the catwalk. He rolled over to lie on his back and bend his knees while letting his fingers slide up his sides and through his hair.

 _"Hand in hand,  
_ _Is the only way to land,  
_ _And always the right way round,"_ Eren purred, and slowly lifted his ass off of the floor and let his tail stroke the inside of his thighs.

He rolled over again before sitting up with his legs over the edge of the catwalk. He crossed his legs and snapped his fingers to the beat while rolling his shoulders.

_"Not broken in pieces,_  
 _Like hated little meeces,_  
 _How could we miss,  
_ _Someone as dumb as this?"_

Then he jumped to the floor and strutted in and out between the tables, letting the guests leave tips in his panties and garter belt. He walked over to Levi and Hanji's table, kneeling down in front of the painter and digging his nails into his pants. He kept his eyes locked with Levi's, letting his claws out a bit and dig through the fabric of his pants, letting them scratch the painters thighs a bit, but not enough to hurt him.

 _"I love you, let's go,"_  he sang, eyes still locked with the grey orbs, and got back up. He turned around and winked at Levi over his shoulder while letting his tail stroke Levi's jawline and chin.

_"Oh, solid gone."_

The boy jumped back up on the stage and placed his foot on the seat of the chair again, placing his hands on his hips and shaking his ass. Levi watched the ruffles dance around Eren's perfectly formed ass, as he moved his hips.

 _"How could we miss,  
_ _Someone as dumb as this?"_  As he sang the last words, he kicked the chair away and walked back to the main-stage, cocking his hips from side to side.

"That was quite a show," Hanji said, looking after Eren as he walked off the stage.

Levi didn't answer her. He emptied his glass of whiskey, trying to hide behind it until he had gotten his thoughts under control.  _'Quite a show',_ was the understatement of the century. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to get the pictures of Eren straddling the chair, out of his head. Why was this happening to him? Eren was truly beautiful, but this was a complete other thing. There was no doubt he was attracted to him, and more than a little, but it was bad! It was more that sexual attraction; he felt hypnotized by the smooth movements and the bright eyes, and Eren's way of talking and singing. The boy was a prostitute and it really wouldn't make his work easier. He really had to go get his painting-equipment and get the hell out of there, and stop visiting Eren. He could find someone or something else to paint, something that wouldn't possibly mess up his entire life.

"Go fetch me another bottle of whiskey," Levi ordered and snapped his fingers at Hanji, after filling his glass and emptying the bottle.

"But what about the show?"

"Now!"

Hanji sent him a displeased look as she got up and left for the bar, while Levi rubbed his eyes, annoyed.  _Bloody France._

Levi managed to pour down another half of the fresh bottle, during the remaining time of the show, earning him suspicious looks from Hanji, who had never seen him drink that fast before. He tried to focus on the girls on stage, hoping to distract himself, but everytime he blinked, the images of Eren's dance popped right back into his mind, and he had to drown the thoughts in more whiskey.

"I'll go get my things," Levi mumbled, and got up from his seat. Getting up on his feet, he suddenly felt much drunker than he thought he was, and he had to hold onto the table, while turning towards Hanji.

"Want me to carry you, Mr. Whiskey?" she asked smugly and laughed a bit as he straightened his back and tried to look sober.

"Shut your trap," he said coldly and brushed some imaginary dust off his shoulder, "Just wait here, I will be back in a moment."

"You're not gonna hang around half of the night this time?"

"No, I am just going to get my things and leave," Levi said, speaking a bit slower than usual to make sure not to stumble over his words. He turned around and left, not giving Hanji a chance to tease him further. He knew the place quite well by now, and found the fastest way to Eren's room, without running into any of the other girls. He was frustrated and annoyed, and he just wanted to get out of there. He still needed the money, otherwise he would have turned down the job and never set his feet in the nightclub again. But he really had to keep his distance from Eren in the future. It would be dangerous to even look at him, and even more to talk to him or be near him. A soft spot for someone was managable, but feelings or sexual attraction or whatever this was that made him feel so weird about Eren, was too much to deal with.

Levi went down the hallway, leading to Eren's room, and from a distance he could see the guard, Gunther, standing next to the boy's door, awake for a change. The door to Eren's room was slightly ajar and Levi nodded at Gunther before making a move to push the door open. Gunther grabbed his arm and shook his head at the painter.

"No, you cannot - Monsieur Erwin - eh?" the guard said in very poor English, nodding towards the door and obviously hoping Levi understood what he meant. Levi looked at him with a puzzled expression and then looked at the door, trying to figure out what he was saying. Then he heard voices from the other side of the door, and understood that he had to wait until Eren was alone. He sighed, and stepped back to lean against the wall on the other side of the door. Gunther returned to the wall on his side of the door, not sparing Levi another look.

Why did Eren had to be busy now? Levi just wanted to get his things, he didn't even need to talk to the boy, let alone look at him if he was still wearing his outfit from the show. Those ruffled panties around his well-formed ass had really -

Levi's chain of thoughts were cut off by the voices from the room getting louder. Levi turned his head to look at the door, trying to figure out what was going on. Gunther ignored the voices and didn't make an attempt to stop Levi from eavesdropping. Levi leaned in a bit closer, and realized it was Erwin's and Eren's voices coming from the room. They were speaking in French and Levi cursed himself for not paying more attention to Hanji's lessons, as he didn't understand much of what they said.

"...taking it too far...stop..." was all that Levi understood from Erwin's loud yelling in French. He sounded a bit angry, almost as if he was scolding Eren.

"...money...sick...treatment..." was the few words he got from what Eren yelled back in a desperate tone. A loud sound of someone smashing their hand against a table came from the room, and the voices turned silent for a moment before Erwin began yelling again, this time too fast for Levi to understand anything.

Levi looked at Gunther, who pretended nothing was happening, and that the painter wasn't there, and Levi leaned back against the wall, just in time for the door to be pulled wide open, and Erwin appeared from the room. He looked like he was about to yell back at Eren, but then his eyes fell on Levi and he kept silent, looking a bit taken aback by the painters presence.

"Monsieur Levi, what can I do for you?" the blonde asked as a wide smile appeared on his face, reaching out to pat Levi on the shoulder.

"I am just here to pick up my belongings," Levi huffed and moved past Erwin to approach the room behind him.

"I hope you don't think ill of me for talking like that to my girls," Erwin said, and held onto Levi's shoulder, "They need a firm tone, or they begin thinking they're princesses."

"It's your business, not mine. As long as you pay me, I wouldn't care even if you used them as feed for pigs," Levi huffed and shook his shoulder free from Erwin's grip.

"Very well," Erwin said with a satisfied expression on his face, "Have a good night then, Monsieur Levi."

Levi didn't answer and closed the door behind him after entering Eren's room. The room was as dark as usual, but he located his equipment within a moment, and went to pick it up.

"Monsieur Levi," Eren's voice sounded from the entrance to the balcony, as Levi moved through the room.

 _"Levi!"_  the painter corrected him, without thinking about his decision about not talking to the boy.

"Leeeviii," Eren repeated, a slight tone of mock in his voice, "If you are here to paint me, I have to refuse. I'm not in the mood."

Levi stopped and looked at Eren, who was leaning against the door-frame to the balcony, looking at the floor with a displeased frown on his face. Levi bit his lip as he saw Eren was still wearing the costume from his performance, and forced himself to not look at his long legs and hips.

"I was actually going to just pick up my things and then leave," Levi huffed, keeping his eyes on Eren's face. His face changed for a second to something that looked like hurt, but Levi wasn't sure if it was just the whiskey making him see things. "But I'm curious now. What's with the attitude, brat? Is that a way to talk to a famous painter, who've saved your ass a couple of times now?"

He should  _not_ have drunken that last half bottle of whiskey. He was only here to pick up his things and then  _leave!_  Why was he talking to Eren now? Even though Eren refused to answer him, Levi still didn't leave. The little voice in the back of his head yelled at him to pick up his things and just leave, but the booze was talking louder.

"What were you talking to Mister Erwin about?"

"Nothing," Eren mumbled and turned around, disappearing to the balcony. Letting the alcohol take over again, Levi followed him. Eren sat at the railing of the balcony, looking at the rooftops, as Levi approached him again.

"Tell me what you were talking about," he ordered and placed his hands on each side of Eren, forcing him to look at him.

"I told you, it was nothing," Eren insisted, letting his ears and tail pop out.

"Don't you dare turn into a cat now," Levi said calmly and grabbed Eren's tail. Eren hissed and whipped his tail to remove Levi's hand. Then a thought struck his mind. "Did Erwin find out you told me about being a were-cat?"

"No!" Eren said, "He would kill me if he found out!"

"Then tell me what all the yelling was about."

"Are you threatening me?" Eren hissed with a furious expression on his face.

"Would it make you talk?" Levi asked, locking eyes with Eren.

"Just leave me alone! It's bad enough that Monsieur Erwin is ordering me around, I don't need you to do it as well!" Eren yelled and pushed Levi away. He turned around, letting his legs hang over the edge of the railing. Levi looked as his back and his tail, waving annoyed, before approaching the boy again.

"I'm not really ordering you around, am I?" he said lowly against Eren's ear. Eren ignored him. "I think I'm giving you gentle pushes towards saying what you really want to say."

Eren's cat-ear twitched and his tail stopped moving for a moment. Levi couldn't see his face, but judging from his honest reflexes as a cat, he had hit the nail on the head. Eren was obviously thinking about what to say next, trying to figure out if Levi was right.

"But if you really want me to leave, then I'll just leave," Levi continued, and turned around to leave.

"W-wait," Eren said, and Levi smirked before facing him again. Eren turned around on the railing again and grabbed his tail, nuzzling it absent-mindedly while looking down at his feet. "It really was nothing. Monsieur Erwin was just scolding me for my performance."

"Why?" Levi asked and moved closer to Eren again. He didn't understand what there was to scold Eren about; from what Levi had seen, he had earned plenty of money during his act.

"He just didn't like the way I..." Eren trailed off, blushing a bit, "He said I was getting too close to the audience."

Levi lifted his eyebrow at the boy, not understanding a single word he said.

"To the audience?" he asked, "You... what?"

"...to you," Eren corrected himself, his voice barely audible. He was still looking at his feet, pulling at the fur on his tail. "He told me not to flirt with his painter."

Levi didn't answer him, and Eren kept looking down. The painter tried to understand what he was talking about without having to question him further.  _'Flirt with his painter'_  - had Erwin seen Eren lock eyes with Levi during the show? That couldn't be it, it was Eren's job to make the guests pay, so why would that be a problem? Unless...

"He was mad at you for saying you love me?" Levi asked as he realized that it was exactly what Eren had said;  _'I love you, let's go'._

"Sang!" Eren corrected him and looked up at him with pinkish cheeks, "I  _sang_  - I didn't say I love you!"

"But that was what Mister Erwin was mad about?"

"Yes."

Levi studied Eren as he looked away again, still fiddling with his tail, as his cheeks turned all shades of red. It was hard to believe that it was the exact same boy who had seduced him on stage only an hour earlier, but he was adorable nonetheless.

"Well, do you?" Levi asked lowly, placing his hands on each side of Eren again.

"P-pardon me?" Eren said and looked at Levi with wide eyes.

"Do you love me?" the painter asked again, locking eyes with the boy. His face remained expressionless but his mind was working on full force. For some reason, he really wanted Eren to answer his question. Maybe it was just the alcohol talking, but he couldn't deny having some sort of feelings towards Eren, and he had to know if Eren felt the same way, or if his performance really just was for show.

"It was just a song, Monsie- I mean, Levi," Eren said with a sheepish smile, stumbling over his words.

"That is not what I asked," Levi stated, throwing caution to the wind and refusing to let go of Eren's eyes. They widened a bit before Eren regained control over his body again.

"I'm a prostitute, Levi," he said and forced his face to seem cold, "I'm not allowed to fall in love."

"That is still not what I asked," Levi insisted, leaning in a bit closer, trapping Eren between his arms and the railing. Eren swallowed hard, obviously uncomfortable, and tried to breathe deeply to calm himself down. His mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to find the right words.

"I-I..." he whispered, looking from Levi's calm steel-grey eyes to his lips, and back up again. That was all Levi needed to hear, and he leaned in closer, capturing Eren's lips with his own. Eren sighed through his nose at the gentle touch, and let go of his tail. He wrapped it round Levi's arm, trying to pull him a bit closer, and Levi caught the hint. He moved in between Eren's slightly parted legs and wrapped his arms around the boy's sleek body.

Levi noticed how different this was from the kiss he received back when he visited Eren the first time. He seemed a bit nervous, and his lips moved gently and trying, not really sure what to do. Eren parted his lips to let out a pleased sigh, and Levi let his tongue brush over his lower lip. Eren slowly wrapped his arms around the painter's neck, and let his tongue enter his mouth.

Levi leaned in closer, forcing Eren to wrap his arms tighter around his body to keep himself from falling back over the railing, and Levi took the opportunity to deepen the kiss further. He let Eren cling onto him, while letting his hand brush through Eren's brown locks, earning him a pleased sound from Eren's throat. Eren let his tongue push back against Levi's, making the two wet muscles move gently against each other, somewhere between their mouths.

Caught up in the moment and clouded with alcohol, Levi grabbed Eren's ass, realizing how much he had wanted to do exactly that for a very long time now, and pulled him closer to the edge of the railing, making his own crotch grind against Eren's. Eren grabbed onto Levi's black locks as his entire body twitched from the arousing contact.

Levi nibbled at Eren's lower lip, enjoying the sweet taste of him. He broke the kiss so trail gentle kissed down Eren's law-line and neck, taking deep breaths through his nose to enjoy the sent of him, tasting his soft skin, feeling his soft hair and fur with the tips of his fingers, and listening to the small pleased sounds escaping Eren's lips. The painter let his hands wander down the boy's sides, and thighs. Eren kept clinging to him to keep himself from falling from the balcony, but as Levi's lips reached the spot between his neck and shoulder, where he bit down gently, Eren pulled him back by the hair to smash his lips against the older man's lips again. He wrapped his legs around Levi and pulled him closer, making their half-erections grind against each other again. Levi bit Eren's lip to muffle a hiss, making Eren part his own lips and let a hoarse moan out in the dark night.

"Je t'aime, Levi," Eren whispered before letting their lips meet again, and Levi let out a muffled sound as an answer. He wrapped his arm tighter around Eren and let his other hand wander to his thigh once again. He pulled down the stocking to feel Eren's soft skin against his fingertips, and let them ghost all over the sensitive skin. Eren let out a frustrated sound and tightened the grip with his legs, making them grind against each other again. Levi took a firm grip on Eren's thigh and let the palm of his hand rub the outside of his thigh. He slowly let it wander further up, letting his fingers slide under the edge of the ruffle-panties.

The door to the room behind them slammed up, followed by a loud voice; "Levi!"

"Shit," Levi hissed and pulled back, making Eren jump to his feet as well, before he let go of the painter, just in time for Hanji to appear on the balcony. Levi was pulled back to reality, and his mind began working somehow normally again, after being completely numb during his intimate interaction with Eren.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Levi hissed and began straightening his clothes.

"I was waiting for you at the bar, but you didn't return so I..." Hanji trailed off, looking at Levi trying to straighten his clothes, and Eren who was blushing and trying to nonchalantly hide his crotch behind his hands, while one of his stockings were hanging loosely around his knee. She smirked and tried to suppress a laugh. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Of course not!" Levi hissed and sent her a furious glance, running his hands through his hair, "We were just disguising when I am going to paint Eren again. Right, Eren?"

"O-oui!" Eren stuttered as Levi looked at him, signalling for him to help him out, "Monsieur Levi only came to pick up his things, a-and... And I like his paintings so much, so I insisted on making a new appointment for him to continue his work."

"Is that so?" Hanji smirked and looked from a blushing Eren to a frustrated Levi, who kept straightening his clothes and his hair.

"Oui, I'm sorry for keeping him here, Monsieur Darcy," Eren said and approached Hanji, lightly touching her shoulder and smiling sweetly at her, "I hope you didn't feel lonely back there."

"Oh, you're so cute, Eren," Hanji beamed and patted his head, "don't think about it." She turned to Levi again, who had been watching Eren's smooth way of dealing with Hanji, and now shot his glare back to Hanji. "Are you coming or are you suddenly feeling  _'inspired'_  to paint Eren?" she teased, winking at her friend.

"No, I'm coming. As I said, I was just going to get my things," Levi huffed and went inside, followed by Hanji and Eren.

"I'll just wait outside," Hanji said lowly to Eren and winked at him as well, and he sent her a happy smile. She went outside, leaving the door slightly ajar, and they could hear her talking to Gunther on the other side of the door.

"I'm sorry" Levi whispered as Eren walked over to him, while he gathered his paintbrushes and watercolours.

"It's okay" Eren said lowly, blushing a bit by the gentle tone in Levi's voice.

"I'll come back soon," Levi whispered and pulled Eren closer by the wrist, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

Eren's cheeks turned completely red by the soft kiss, as Levi left for the door before Hanji came back to tease him again. Eren looked after him as he disappeared through the door, leaving him alone in the dark room. He could hear Levi yell at Hanji to stop bothering the guard and their voices slowly disappeared as they went down the hallway. Eren looked down at the table next to him, where Levi's painting-equipment had beed spread out over the surface. It was empty now, aside from one hundred francs, lying neatly in the middle of the table. Eren sighed and gathered the money, before hiding them in his panties. He reached back and loosened his corset. Finally able to breath normally, he threw it on the floor before sitting down on the edge of the bed and looking out on the moon through the window.

"It took you quite some to gather your things" Hanji stated with a smug tone, as they walked down the stairs towards the exit.

"We were discussing when I'm going to paint him again, just like Eren said," Levi huffed annoyed, not in the mood for Hanji's teasing.

"Yeah, you keep saying that," she said, "But somehow, I find it hard to believe you."

"Is that so?" Levi said coldly, ignoring the mocking tone in her voice.

"It looked more like you were actually getting what you're paying for."

"I'm paying him to let me paint him," Levi said coldly, trying to hide the fact that she was right.

"Really? Then why are your lips swollen?" Hanji asked, patting her friend on the shoulder, trying to make him just give up and admit what they were doing. Levi responded without thinking, moving his hand up to touch his lips, and Hanji sent him a wide smile at his reaction.

"Just shut up," Levi hissed, realizing he had walked right into her trap. He refused to answer any more questions that night, and went right to the bedroom as soon as they reached Hanji's apartment, slamming the door, and not letting her in for a change of clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I had been looking forward to writing this chapter since I made the storyline, but then I got hit by writers block and it just fucked up everything. But I made it through!
> 
> The song, Eren sings is The Lovecats by The Cure, and it took me forever to write down his little dance. Dancemoves is very hard to describe, but I hope it works. The last two chapters have been kinda short, so I tried to make up for that, and ended up on 12½ pages - I hope it's not too long.
> 
> Anyway, no more excuses! This chapter has been beta'd by my new beta-reader, Tabootasaur, and this chapter got a lot better than it was to begin with, thanks to her. I hope you enjoyed it, and comments are as always appreciated.


	7. Bathroom Affairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi tries to figure out his feelings for Eren, but it's hard to do with hangovers.

Levi woke up in the early morning after only a few hours of sleep. He was covered in sweat and had a horrible hangover. He opened his eyes barely enough to see that the sun had just started to set behind the thin curtains, but before he could decide what time it was, the stench of his own hangover-sweat caught his nose. He really just wanted to hide under the blankets and sleep for a couple more hours, but the smell was too much for him to bare. He felt dirty and wanted to take a shower and change the sheets. He could decide afterwards if he should go back to sleep or not.

He knew he had some thinking to do; the memories from last night threatened to resurrect from the back of his mind, but he managed to keep them away for now. He refused to think it through before getting in the shower.

Hanji was still asleep on the couch when he went through the living-room, heading for the bathroom, after changing the sheets. She was snoring loudly, drool running down her chin and she was lying in - what looked like - a very uncomfortable position with one leg over the back of the couch, hugging a bottle of rum. Levi didn't care to try to be silent; he knew she was a heavy sleeper.

As he entered the bathroom, Levi turned on the shower, hoping for the water to heat up while he undressed. He placed his sweaty shirt neatly on a hook in the corner of the room, still doing his part to keep the place clean even though Hanji had done nothing to help on the matter. She threw her dirty clothes on the floor, right when and where she undressed, and he had been the only one to do the dishes ever since they arrived in Paris.

Levi removed a pair of her dirty socks from the sink with a disgusted frown, and studied his reflection in the mirror while slowly taking off his underwear. He had gotten used to the dark circles under his eyes by now, and he really hoped they would disappear as soon as he had planned out his work and could sleep normally at night. As he studied his tired and hungover face in the mirror, he noticed his slightly swollen lower lip. He couldn't even remember if Eren had bitten it last night while they made out on the balcony. Right - Eren...

Levi rubbed his sore eyes and turned his back to the mirror. He couldn't keep Eren out of his head any more, and let his thoughts wander as he stepped into the shower, letting the chilly water splash over his sweaty body.

He couldn't deny his desire for the boy. He had gotten a taste of his lips, skin and touch now, and he wanted more. From the core of his very being, he felt the urge to touch him and taste him. Whether it was more than sexual attraction, he was a bit unsure. He obviously cared about Eren, but he had been pretty drunk last night, and all he really could remember was Eren's soft lips pressed against his own, the warmth of his mouth and the gentle dance between their tongues.

Levi washed his face, hoping to erase the thoughts of the kiss as well as the thick layer of hangover-sweat. The dirty feeling slowly disappeared as he thoroughly washed his body, but his mind remained locked on Eren.

He had tried to keep his distance to Eren right from the start, but hadn't really succeeded on the matter, since he had been drawn to him over and over again. And now he found himself in this sticky situation, where Eren apparently had feelings for himand Levi himself was confused about how he felt. It had been a long time since he had had any kind of romantic relationship; beauty was his only true love, after all.

Levi huffed out a single bitter laugh. Eren wasn't old enough to understand what love was. It was probably just hormones and confusion. But then again, Eren wasn't just any young brat; despite his young age, he seemed older. His sweetness and his way of talking to Levi wasn't of someone who tried to seem older than he was - it was simply of someone who had seen more than most people his age, and had matured early because of it.

But then again, it could all just be an act. Eren had said so himself;  _'I'm a prostitute - I'm not allowed to fall in love'._ Maybe Eren treated all his clients the way he treated Levi; maybe he was trying to hypnotize Levi into becoming one of his regular clients. Maybe he even acted on Erwin's orders.

Levi hissed annoyed and knocked his hand against the shower-wall, making a hollow noise ring though the bathroom. If Erwin thought he could fool him and get his money back like that - no, that wasn't really the issue. The real issue was the possibility of Eren lying to fool him and provoke feelings in Levi that he would take advantage of. As bitter as Levi suddenly felt by the thought, he really had to admit now, that he did have feelings for Eren.

Levi washed his hair a bit more roughly that intended, thinking about what to do next. He refused to let a poor sixteen-year-old hooker take advantage of him. Then it hit him; he could make Eren do exactly as he pleased as soon as he hinted that he would tell Erwin that he knew about his secret. It  _could_  be a part of Erwin's plan to make Eren act like it bothered him, but the boy had really seemed angry and nervous every time Levi had mentioned it. It would be hard to fake that deep felt anger showing in the boys eyes every time Levi had used it against him. And as sweet and flirty as Eren often was, Levi had seen that other side of him too; the strong fighter spirit. A treat that showed Levi that Eren wasn't just a prostitute, who had settled with his life at the dance club and willing to spend his life on making men believe what they paid him to believe. There was more to Eren than met the eye.

Levi wasn't sure if he was just lying to himself now to save his pride or if his tired head just made things up now, but why would Eren tell him that he loved him if he didn't mean it? Levi had already spent a lot of money on Eren, paying for his services without even wanting to take advantage of it. It shouldn't really be necessary for him to come up with such a lie to keep Levi where he wanted him. He wanted to paint him no matter what.

Levi sighed and rubbed his sore face. His mind was a mess, pulling back and forth, and making him even more confused than he already was. He cursed himself for not being able to look through the whole situation.

He really had a soft spot for Eren, and a little voice in the back of his mind kept wishing for Eren's feelings to be genuine. The painter was too tired to make up his mind about the boy, and even though he really wanted to think things through, he had trouble staying focused. The memories from the previous night kept on rummaging through his head, reminding him of panting breaths and sweet kisses. He tried to remember their conversations and how Eren affected him, but the desire kept on taking over his hungover mind. The flirty look in Eren's eyes as he danced on the stage, rubbing his ass against the seat of the chair, touching himself...

The way his ass looked in those ruffle-panties and his long legs covered in white stockings so tight that they revealed every line of his muscles and how they danced under the thin fabric. The way he had wrapped those long, slender legs around Levi while sitting on the railing on the balcony, digging his fingers through his hair and letting Levi invade his mouth.

Levi leaned his arms against the shower-wall, letting the - now a bit warmer - water run down his back. The water was still cold, but not cold enough to cool down the heat spreading through his body, as he thought about what Eren had done to him last night. The heat ran through every single part of him; over his chest, clouding his mind, and then down his spine to pool in his lower stomach. He sighed deeply, noticing his breath had gotten a bit heavier, and rubbed his face before opening his eyes again, and looking down at his lower body. He sure as hell felt desire for Eren, there was no doubt about that!

Levi surrendered to his desires and let his hand wander down his chest, over his abdomen and to his half-hard dick. As he lightly wrapped his fingers around it, he remembered rubbing his clothed hard-on against Eren's the night before. The thought of it and Eren's muffled sounds, made his erection twitch in his hand and he began to lazily stroke it. As he got more and more aroused, the hungover feeling slowly disappeared and the image of Eren danced behind his eyelids. He was smiling flirtatious, fluttering his dark lashes and sticking out his butt, as he straddled the chair in Levi's mind.

Levi gasped and leaned his head against the wall, picking up his pace. Grabbing Eren's ass, feeling the soft skin of his thighs against his fingertips and then the palm of his hand as he touched him more firmly, hungry for more - he remembered it clearly and he had to bite his lip to muffle another gasp.

He threw his head back, wiping his wet bangs backwards and let the chilly water hit his face. He thought about Eren's lips against his own, biting down and feeling the boy's lower lip between his teeth and the sound it had provoked. The urge to bite down harder and take that part of Eren with him to keep for himself. His dick twitched in his hand and he could feel the heat pool up in his lower stomach. There was really no reason holding back, and even though he was still tired and wanted to get back to bed as soon as possible, he couldn't stop now.

Levi let his hand move faster along his erection, as he thought about licking and kissing Eren's jawline and neck, feeling his pulse through the soft skin and biting down on the spot between Eren's neck and shoulder. The taste of the sweet skin between his teeth and Eren's muffled moans against his ear, as he pulled him back up by the hair. Levi let his head fall forwards again, and grabbed the hair at the back of his head with his free hand, trying to remember exactly how it felt when Eren pulled his head back up to his own and smashed their lips against each other like he had missed Levi's mouth while it had explored way too little of the boy's body.

He pulled a bit harder at his wet locks, frustratedly growling at the lack of similarity to what Eren had done to him. He pulled harder again but it made no difference, and he settled on just focusing on treating his hard-on. His breathing had become heavier and he could feel the end closing in. Levi bit his lower lip again, increasing the speed of his stroking and let the image of Eren lying on the floor of the stage take over his mind. Eren touching his thighs and letting his hands wander over his torso, lifting his ass off of the floor, letting his long tail caress the skin on his inner thighs. Moaning sounds and pleased whimpers. His claws against Levi's thighs, digging through the fabric of his pants. Fingers pulling eagerly at his hair, hungry lips against his own. Long legs wrapped around his waist and his crotch grinding against Eren's.

"Hnn - shit," Levi hissed and bit his tongue as his entire body tensed up and he threw himself over the edge with one last, hard stroke. He let a sharp breath escape his lips as the waves pulsed through his body and he released, his seed splattering down at the shower-floor and the chilly water washing it away. He sighed and enjoyed the numbness and his empty mind for a moment, as his body slowly returned to normal. He was even more tired after his escapades, and just wanted to go back to sleep, but he felt much dirtier now, than before he got into the shower.

After washing himself all over again, trying to gather his thoughts about Eren, Levi had to give up and got out of the shower. After lightly drying his body, he walked back through the living-room, where Hanji was still asleep, only wearing a towel around his waist, and still not caring whether he woke up his friend or not.

He slammed the bedroom-door behind him and dug through his clothes to find a piece of clean underwear, for once not really caring if he made a mess in the drawer. He would have to take care of it later, he was too tired to deal with anything now. He pulled on the fresh pair of underwear, before falling back onto the bed, drifting into a very light half-conscious sleep. His dreams were confusing and incoherent, mostly about a mix of gentle touches, deep purrs and sweetly whispered words of  _'Je t'aime'_.

Levi tossed and turned under the sheets, wanting those weird dreams to either turn into real dreams or to disappear completely. He woke up by a low sound, coming from the window, and he jerked up, confused and disoriented. He blinked a few times, trying to figure out if he was awake or asleep, and looked towards the window, trying to figure out what had caused the sound. Behind the thin curtains, lightly waving in the wind from the open window, he could see the shadow of a small creature with pointy ears and a long tail, frozen to the spot.

"Eren?" Levi asked with a hoarse voice, rubbing his eyes to make sure he was completely awake.

By the sound of the painter's voice, the cat jumped from the windowsill to the drawer under the window. Eren didn't spare Levi a single look, as he moved over the surface of the drawer with quick steps. He landed on the chair next to the drawer, where Levi had hung his jacket the previous night, and green feline-eyes locked with grey orbs for a moment, before the cat placed a piece of folded paper on the seat of the chair. He then jumped back up at the drawer, heading for the open window with fast steps.

"Eren! Wait!" Levi yelled and jumped up from the bed, throwing himself towards the cat, and barely managing to catch him by the tail as he jumped from the window. Eren let out a painful and loud sound, and Levi grabbed his belly to support his weight as he pulled him back in through the window. Eren kept moving, trying to escape Levi's firm grip on him uttering loud cries and unsatisfied meows. Levi lifted his eyebrow at Eren's struggle, and sat down on the floor in front of the drawer, holding onto the cat with both hands under his front-legs, making it impossible for him to squirm out of his grip. Eren let out one desperate and frustrated meow after another, while Levi just held him out in front of him, waiting for Eren to stop acting out.

"Are you done now?" Levi asked with an unimpressed expression on his face, as Eren finally stopped moving. Eren hissedin response and looked down at his back legs, dangling over the floor. "Why are you here? What is that?" the painter asked, after looking at the folded paper on the seat next to him, realizing it was banknotes; what looked like 100 francs.

Eren kept his eyes down, refusing to look at Levi.

"Are you going to turn back into a human so that we can have a civilized conversation, or should I just keep you here like this until Mister Erwin notices that you are gone?" Levi then asked, raising an eyebrow at Eren. He knew it wasn't fair to keep on using the secret against the boy, but Levi wanted to make sure he wasn't being pulled around. He didn't really need an answer though, as Eren sent him an annoyed look, obviously regretting ever telling Levi about his secret. He huffed and let himself turn back to a human, landing butt-naked on Levi's lap.

Suddenly remembering what he had done in the shower, a very short time ago, Levi had to clear his throat to distract himself, as the very object of his desire was sitting naked on top of him completely within his reach. It was tempting to take advantage of the situation and let his hands wander all over the boy's young body, but Levi was a grown man and he refused to let his desires control him.

Eren couldn't care less about his exposed body, and the embarrassment showing on his face had nothing to do with the position he had placed himself in. He looked to the side, with a dissatisfied expression, blushing a bit over being caught like that.

Levi suddenly noticed that he still had his hands wrapped tightly around Eren's chest, and removed them as he decided that Eren probably wouldn't try to escape right away, and he placed his hands on the floor behind him, leaning back a bit. He still tried very hard not to think too much about Eren's naked ass on his lap, and he was suddenly glad that he had taken care of himself earlier and could keep himself under control now. His eyes threatened to wander over Eren's body, but he kept them firmly locked on the brunette's blushing face.

"Well?" he asked, wanting to get Eren to talk and distract himself with the conversation.

"I wanted to return the money," Eren said lowly and let his tail pop back out, to have something to fiddle with. He let it swing over his hip and began pulling at the fur absent-mindedly, still not looking at Levi.

"Why?" Levi asked, trying to ignore the ticklish feeling of Eren's tail brushing over his thighs.

"Y-you shouldn't pay me for an entire night," Eren mumbled and pulled at his tail, obviously wanting to get away as soon as possible, “You're wasting your money."

"Shouldn't you just be happy to get paid for doing nothing?" Levi huffed. It sounded a lot colder than intended, but even  _if_ Levi actually had feelings for the younger male, he wouldn't be able to show it that easily.

"No, I don't want you to treat me like a hooker!" Eren raised his voice a bit and sent Levi a stubborn look, finally looking at him. He sounded a bit desperate now, and he took a deep breath before continuing; "I... don't want you to see me like that. I worked half the night to be able to pay you back without losing money, and... you're the one who should be happy that you don't have to pay me for anything! I don't want your pity, I'm not just some prostitute!"

Levi sighed and leaned forward a bit, wrapping his arms around Eren's body and pulling him closer. He was just too cute.

"I don't," he hummed and locked eyes with the boy, "I'm not looking down on you."

If he had had any doubt about his feelings for Eren, they were completely washed away by now. Seeing him in front of him like this, looking at him with wide, shiny, green eyes, and feeling the scent of his naked skin, made Levi's heart beat a bit faster and he realized that his desire for Eren was nothing compared to the affection he felt towards the boy. Eren had a flustered expression in his eyes, trying to read the older man's mind as his cheeks turned pink. Levi could sense that this wasn't what Eren had expected him to do, but it didn't seem like it bothered him the slightest. It was obvious to the painter, that Eren's feelings for him was indeed genuine; the expression on his face was not something one could fake, and Eren wanted Levi to see him as an equal, and not just a service to pay for.

"Do you care for me?" Levi asked in a calm tone. Eren's behaviour had already provided him with the answer he was seeking, but he wanted to hear Eren say the words out loud.

Eren looked away again, trying to hide his blushing cheeks behind his brown bangs. He kept fiddling with his tail, a bit more roughly now.

"Eren," Levi said, trying to gently force the boy to look at him by pulling him a bit closer. His grey eyes met a shining green orb, half-hidden behind soft hair, and the painter rephrased the question; "Do you love me?"

"Mhm," Eren mumbled and looked down, his cheeks turning even redder.

"Then let me help you," Levi whispered and pulled Eren in, closing the gap between them. Eren melted in his arms as Levi kissed him gently, and the boy let out a deep sigh. Levi felt his entire body react to the sweet caress of Eren's lips as they moved nervously against his own, letting Levi dominate the innocent kiss completely. The kisses they exchanged now, wasn't as hungry and possessive as last night, and it became obvious to Levi, that Eren was insecure about if Levi still wanted if after getting sober. Levi deepened the kiss, trying to show Eren that he had nothing to be nervous about, and it seemed like he got the message across; Eren slowly let his hands wander to Levi's sides and wrapped his arms lightly around the painter's back. Subconsciously, his tail wrapped itself around Levi's upper arm.

As their lips moved slowly against each other, the sound of Eren's voice filled Levi's head;  _'I worked half the night to be able to pay you back without losing money.'_  He didn't want Eren to work like this any more. He wrapped his arms tighter around Eren, wanting to protect him from the world and stop him from selling his body for a living. Those lips were for him to enjoy, and him alone; that was all he could think about.

"I should get back," Eren mumbled after breaking the kiss. He made no move to actually get going.

"How did you even find me?" Levi inquired, not ready to let Eren go yet.

"I went up on the roof last night after you and Monsieur Darcy went home. I found out which area you live in, but it took some time to figure out the right apartment," Eren answered, with a sheepish smile. Then his face turned serious again. "I really don't think you should waste your money on me, Levi," he then added, still feeling a bit uneasy about Levi's generosity.

"I am not wasting my money on you," Levi stated coldly, but offered Eren a kind smile as he noticed the embarrassment in Eren's eyes. "Look... Just take the money, okay? I think you need a night off from time to time, and as long as you make money, I don't think Mister Erwin cares about what you do."

Eren sighed in defeat and grabbed the money from the chair. He really hated that money were such a big issue, but Levi was right. The painter smiled at him and stroked his cheek gently.

"Just let me take care of you, okay?" he said, not really caring to let Eren answer, because he was going to do it, whether Eren would let him or not.

Eren offered him a sad smile, and began pulling at his tail again. He didn't answer, but leaned in and kissed Levi again, still insecure about if it was okay for him to do so. Levi cupped his face and returned the kiss, making Eren's tail wiggle happily.

"I should get back," Eren repeated, and looked out the window to determine what time it was. He had to get back before anyone noticed he was gone.

"I'll come by tonight," Levi said, and looked at Eren as he got on his feet.

"I'm looking forward to it," Eren said with a smile, and jumped onto the drawer, while transforming back into a cat. Levi got on his feet as well, and grabbed the cat lightly by the skin of his neck, before he jumped back out the way he came.

"Don't forget this," Levi said and took the money from the surface of the drawer and held it out in front of Eren. Eren purred lowly and took the money between his teeth, and Levi let him go after stroking his back a few times. Eren nuzzled his head against Levi's hand before jumping from the drawer to the windowsill, and out of the window.

Levi sighed and dug his hand through his hair, noticing how bloody tired he still was. He went back to bed, but before he could settle between the sheets, the door to the bedroom was kicked open and Hanji appeared.

"Good morning," she sang, still holding onto the bottle of rum she had slept with.

"What do you want?" Levi hissed, getting very annoyed that he would never be able to get a proper amount of sleep.

"I heard you moving around in here, so I thought it was time for us to get some breakfast and be productive," she said and walked into the room to find a change of clothes.

"You have got to be kidding me," Levi mumbled and sat up again, hiding his face in his hands, "Hanji, I'm so bloody tired and if you don't get out right now and let me sleep, I swear to God, I will skin you alive and make a summer-hat out of your ass."

She stopped in the middle of changing her shirt, looking down at his unfriendly expression.

"Aren't we grumpy this morning," she stated, pulling the shirt over her head before tying her hair in a ponytail. Levi didn't respond, and threw himself back on the bed, pulling the blanket over his head.

"Fine, I'll wake you up in a few hours then," she said and grabbed a pair of pants and left the room again, after leaving the half-empty bottle on the night-stand. Before closing the door behind her, she noticed Levi's arm appearing from under the blanket, grabbing the bottle and pulling it back under the sheets.

Levi didn't really care for the cheap rum Hanji always kept with her, but right now it was enough to help him fall back to sleep. He slept peacefully for another few hours without having any disturbing dreams. He woke up later, feeling a bit more rested, and decided it was finally time to get up. He could hear voices through the door, and thought it wisely to get dressed before leaving the bedroom.

He took a sip of the rum, and grimaced by the poor taste. After pulling on a clean shirt and pants, he opened the door to the living-room and found Hanji casually leaning against the wall, talking to some bald man with a moustache.

"...and then they made me their chief," Hanji said to the man, before both of them noticed Levi. "Oh, this is the painter I told you about," she then said to the man, signalling for her friend to come closer.

"Levi," the painter presented himself and offered his hand.

"Pixis Dot," the man said and shook hands with Levi, "I saw your painting over there," he pointed at the painting of the rooftops, still hanging on the easel by the window, "I'm very interested if you're selling."

"That depends on how much you are willing to pay," Levi answered, looking the man up and down. He was dressed neatly, in what looked like very expensive clothes. Levi should be able to get a good prize, if the man was really interested. "I could easily sell it for a couple hundred francs back in London."

"But you're not in London right now," Pixis Dot said with a smirk, as all three of them moved closer to the painting.

"Actually -" Hanji butted in, placing her arm around her friend's shoulder and smiling widely at Pixis Dot, "- Levi already has a buyer." She kicked Levi's ankle before he could manage to ask her what she was talking about. "He's very famous back in London - you're such a fine gentleman yourself, Monsieur Dot, you must have heard of him."

The older man sent her an unimpressed look as she tried to flatter him. Levi lifted his eyebrows in annoyance but he didn't want to start an argument in front of a potential buyer.

After realizing that Pixis Dot knew her a little too well to fall for her flattering, Hanji cleared her throat and straightened her back. "Anyway, he's already got a buyer. A very generous buyer," she lied and winked at Levi, trying to convince him that she had everything under control. Levi wasn't really a fan of lying to his costumers; he believed in himself and his own talent, and his paintings were good enough to sell themselves without him lying.

"Is that so?" Pixis Dot asked in a flat tone. He caught Levi frowning at Hanji, as she winked at the painter, trying to get him to play along. The bald man's eyes met with Hanji's, and he sent her a suspicious look.

"Come on now, have I ever lied to you?" Hanji said and smiled at the man, trying to cover up her attempt to cheat him.

"Nothing I can prove, but you're not exactly a very honest woman, are you Mademoiselle Hanji?" he asked and lifted an eyebrow at her, hinting that he knew what she was up to.

"Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest woman you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly  _stupid_ ," Hanji smirked and sent Levi a knowing look by the last word, before returning her glance to Pixis Dot. He laughed at her statement, and Levi sighed, getting really tired of Hanji's meddling in his sale.

"Anyway, Monsieur Dot," Levi huffed, and the bald man turned his attention towards the painter again, "I do believe a couple hundred francs isn't too much to ask for. You should notice the harmonic colours and the sharp edges in the design. And it is a very special piece; it's the first painting I've ever made of Paris. I've only painted London so far and the fact that this is the first piece from France, will make it triple it's worth within a few years."

"You are very sure about yourself," Pixis Dot noted and studied the painting thoroughly.

"Of course. I am the best," Levi smirked and sent Hanji a death-glare as she was about to open her mouth again. She signalled for him that she was just trying to help him, but he waved her off with an annoyed expression.

"Very well, Monsieur Levi," the man said, "How about 300 francs?"

'Take it, take it', Hanji mimed behind the man's back, waving her arms to get Levi's attention.

"I - eh - wait," Levi said, getting distracted by Hanji's movements behind Pixis Dot, "Yeah okay, fine." He shook hands with the bald man again, reminding himself to kick Hanji's ass as soon as he left. He knew he could have gotten a better prize, but he had just woken up and was still too tired to do business and deal with her at the same time.

Pixis Dot handed him 300 francs and Levi counted the money and hid them in his back-pocket.

"It was a pleasure to do business with you, Monsieur Levi," Pixis Dot smiled and grabbed the canvas by the edge, "Now, Mademoiselle Hanji, I do believe we have business to do as well."

"I believe you're right," Hanji said and smiled widely. She pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it over to the bald man, who looked it over and hid it in the inner-pocket of his jacket, "Mike and Moblit should be down there in an hour or so. Just show them my note, they know you're dropping by."

"Very well," Pixis Dot said and handed over an envelope to Hanji, "It should all be there. If the quality doesn't live up to my expectations, I'll come back."

"Everything is exactly as usual, I can assure you that," Hanji said while looking through the envelope with eager eyes. She seemed satisfied with the content and shook hands with the man before leading him to the door. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, as always, Monsieur Dot."

"Likewise," he said, before looking back at Levi, "And you too, Monsieur Levi."

Levi nodded and went to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea while Hanji said goodbye to the older man.

"I believe you owe me a drink," Hanji stated as she entered the kitchen after letting Pixis Dot out.

"I believe you owe me several hundred francs!" Levi snapped, his British accent getting more noticeable as he let his anger show. He turned to face her with the kettle in his hand, "What were you doing back there? I could have pushed the prize to 500 francs without trouble."

"No, you couldn't," Hanji said and crossed her arms under her chest, leaning against the door-frame, "I've been doing business with him for ages, and he's a tough nut to crack. Unless you know how to handle him, you should just settle on his first offer. If you had tried to get the prize up, he would have refused to pay more that 200 for the painting."

"You're underestimating me," Levi huffed and placed the kettle on the stove.

"No,  _you're_  underestimating  _me_ ," Hanji smirked, "I know my customers."

"What kind of business are you doing with him anyway?" Levi asked and turned towards her again, while waiting for the water to boil.

"Oh, nothing you need to worry about," she beamed and went back into the living-room, "Make a cup for me as well!"

Levi promised himself to get it out of her somehow, but he would let it go for now. It was better to attack when she was unprepared and would accidentally spill the beans.

He pulled out the money from his back-pocket again, and looked at them while thinking. He wanted to take care of Eren and this was almost enough to pay for four nights. If he could finish off a poster within those four days, he would earn another 375 francs, which would almost be enough to pay for another five nights. Erwin had offered him some kind of discount; this was probably the time to use that. He would have to plan out his work properly to make sure he could keep Eren from spending his nights with other men. Of course he would have to come up with something else soon, 'cause he wasn't going to spend the rest of his life in Paris, working to buy a hookers freedom every night, but this would have to do for now.

As Levi made the tea, he realized that even though he wanted to help Eren, the reason he wanted to take care of him, wasn't just to save Eren; it was more likely because he didn't want anyone else to touch him. He wanted to monopolize him. And he was ready to do whatever it would take, to make that happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Taboo and Baiko for beta'ing this chapter and pushing me to - hopefully - write better.  
> Merry Christmas!


	8. Adore Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi spends the day working on the posters, while Hanji tries to figure out what’s going on between Levi and Eren.  
> Eren butts heads with Annie behind the stage, and is suddenly insecure about Levi’s feelings for him. It doesn’t really help, that Levi doesn’t show up to watch the show.

Levi sat on the couch next to Hanji, going through his sketches and notes of Annie and Ymir. The two girls always worked together and Erwin had requested a poster of them together in matching outfits. Levi had studied all the girls' costumes and picked out a pair of very tight dresses, matching the colours Erwin had asked him to use.

After Pixis Dot left earlier that day, Levi had ordered Hanji to move the couch to the middle of the living-room, and he had pulled in the large frame he had bought a couple of days earlier for making the posters. He had placed it against the wall where the couch had been placed, and clamped the thick paper he had bought for the same purpose, to the frame before doing the preparations for his work.

While Levi had spent most of the day working, Hanji had been seated on the couch, looking over some paperwork and watching his progress, while drinking rum. She knew she had to keep her mouth shut if she wanted to watch him work, or else he would kick her out of the apartment. It was hard to keep her curiosity under control, and she took a sip of the rum every time she felt the urge to ask him a question.

After painting for a couple of hours, Levi had gone out to buy a bottle of whiskey. He didn't want to spend a lot of money on alcohol when money was his only way of keeping Eren from sleeping with other men, but he still refused to drink the cheep booze Hanji brought.

When he returned to the apartment, he dumped down next to Hanji on the couch. He grabbed his sketches and spread them out over the coffee-table. He sighed and took a large sip of whiskey, while Hanji leaned in over the table to look at the papers.

"You know, Levi -" she started, about to offer her help.

"No," Levi cut her off without looking up from his papers.

"I just wanted to say -"

"No."

"- that if there's something you're not certain about -"

"No," Levi repeated, and got up from the couch again. He gathered a few sketches and placed them next to the poster along with the whiskey-bottle.

"- then I remember pretty well what the girls look like," Hanji finally finished off and took another sip of the rum.

"That won't be necessary," Levi said in a dull tone, as he touched the poster, checking if the paint had dried yet. He was glad to see how fast it dried up in the summer-heat.

Hanji watched in silence as Levi climbed the stool he had brought in earlier, and he began working again.

"So..." Hanji said, and leaned over the back of the couch, "When are you going to visit Eren again?"

"Why do you ask?" Levi mumbled, focusing most of his attention on his work.

"Oh, I was just curious," Hanji brushed him off, trying to sound like she was only making small-talk. The truth was that she was dying to know more about what was going on between Eren and Levi. She was well-aware what she had interrupted the previous night, and she wanted to know everything. Knowing how Levi tended to get caught up in his work, this was definitely the best time to ask.

"You only took this job to get to paint him, didn't you?" she asked, when Levi didn't answer.

"Mmh... Yes," Levi answered absent-minded as he leaned in to paint the details on Annie's face.

"Does that mean you find him attractive?" Hanji asked nonchalantly and got up from the couch. When Levi didn't answer, she moved up behind him and repeated the question.

"Mhh... Did you say something?" Levi murmured, without taking his eyes off of the painting. He didn't pay attention to Hanji at all. His focus was set on the work in front of him, but his mind was filled with Eren. He longed to hold him in his arms again. Everything about the boy was absolutely gorgeous; his slender frame, his delicate cat-like movements, his long lashes. Those deep green eyes of his. His sweet lips.

Hanji sighed in defeat as she realized she couldn't get Levi to talk. She went to the kitchen to make them a cup of tea and let Levi work. She was determined to find out what was going on, one way or another. Had Levi stepped down from his pedestal and begun sleeping with prostitutes, or was there more to it? Had her cold, British friend evolved feelings for the boy? No, impossible. The only explanation would be that Levi had found another way to 'get inspired'.

As she put the kettle on, she thought about going to visit Eren later that night and ask him what was going on. She had spend quite a few nights with him in the past, and he seemed to trust her. Of course they never did anything but talk, since she couldn't let anyone know that she was in fact a woman, but she liked to look at him, just like she loved to watch the other girls at La Maison des Chats. He was simply too cute with his tail and ears. Hanji had tried to get him to tell her about his secret, but he kept telling her the same thing;  _'Monsieur Erwin says that a true magician never reveals his secrets.'_

"I'll get them to talk one way or another," Hanji mumbled to herself, and poured the boiling water from the kettle into the tea-cups. She was pretty sure she had figured it all out, but she preferred to get it confirmed. Nothing beats cold facts, after all.

She went back to the living-room, and placed Levi's cup next to his whiskey-bottle. She looked up at her friend, who seemed like he was lost in his own thoughts. She let her eyes wander over the poster and a smirk appeared on her face.

"You know," she said, and cleared her throat to get Levi's attention, "It looks like you need a break, Levi. You're making mistakes."

"What?" Levi turned to look at her with a mistrustful expression, "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Annie's eyes are blue," Hanji said and looked up at Annie's painted face on the poster.

Levi followed her eyes, and realized that she was right. He had accidentally painted her eyes green. He grabbed a cloth and tried to remove the green paint without ruining the poster, swearing under his breath at his own foolishness.

"Hmm, that colour reminds me of someone," Hanji said in a false thoughtful tone, acting like she tried to remember who those eyes reminded her of. Levi ignored her, and she walked back to the couch. "Oh right," she said in a slightly mocking tone, as she sat down and placed her own tea-cup on the table, "Eren."

* * *

Behind the stage, Eren tried to get a glimpse of the crowd on the other side of the curtain. Christa was performing now, and he was up next. He pulled at the edge of the curtain, wanting to get a proper look at the table where Monsieur Darcy and Levi would normally sit, but it was hard to spot the table without being seen by anyone, even though all eyes were on his blonde colleague.

"He's not there," a feminine voice sounded behind him, and Eren let go of the curtain and turned around.

"Who's not there?" he asked, trying to cover up the fact that he was looking for Levi.

"The painter," Annie said, sending him a knowing look as she cocked her hip. She looked as cold as ever, but an amused smirk was playing on her lips.

"So?" Eren asked and put on a careless face. He wasn't allowed to fall in love, and he had to make sure Annie didn't find out how he felt about Levi. "I couldn't care less if he is here or not."

"Yeah, right," Annie huffed in a mocking tone and rolled her eyes. Ymir and Sasha had moved closer to the two dancers, curious to what they were talking about. Everybody knew that Eren and Annie weren't exactly the best of friends and they often tried to strike a nerve at each other.

"What are you implying?" Eren asked and took a step closer to the blonde.

"It's pretty obvious that you like him," Annie said smugly, and crossed her arms under her chest. Ymir let out a giggle by her friend's statement, since it was something she had noticed as well.

"Aren't you just mad that he always refuses to tip you when you're on stage?" Eren asked and sent her a mocking look.

"I get plenty of tips,  _Chasseuse_ ," Annie said, making sure to pronounce his name in a sarcastic tone. Eren frowned; the name always reminded him that he wasn't here out of his own will. It felt like a chain, forcing him to stay and work as a slave. Annie's smirk grew wider as his expression changed. She knew she could always get to him by using that name. "I couldn't care less about a lousy painter's money."

"He's not lousy!" Eren raised his voice and took another step closer to her. He realized way too late that she had managed to provoke him, and took a step back again, trying to cover up his outburst. "Monsieur Erwin wouldn't have hired him if he was lousy," he said coldly and turned his attention to Christa as she walked up to them, signalling for Eren that he should get ready.

Eren sent Annie one last dirty look, before walking past her and Ymir, getting ready to perform as soon as Erwin had announced that he was up next.

"Does that mean you don't care about him at all?" Annie called to him as he pulled up his corset and straightened his stockings.

"I only care about money," Eren lied without sparing her a look. It actually hurt to talk about Levi like that, but it was necessary; he couldn't let anyone know about them.

"Does that mean that you won't mind if I steal him next time he visits?" Annie smirked and winked at Ymir, who let out another giggle.

Eren bit his lip. He would hate it if Annie actually managed to get Levi to come to her instead of him. She was very popular with her large breasts and heavy blue eyes, and with Ymir next to her, being the complete opposite but just as attractive, they were a big hit at the night-club. If Levi fell for her tricks and - no, he couldn't bear to think that thought to an end. Not now, he had to focus on his performance. He had no right to claim Levi as his own, he was just a dirty prostitute after all. But those gentle kisses and sweet caresses - he would hate to have to share them with anyone.

"Come on, Annie, don't be like that," Sasha butted in, trying to help Eren out.

"Be my guest," Eren said coldly and pulled on a seductive expression, as the curtains were pulled and the music started playing. He had to focus on his performance, but he felt really insecure about Levi and it was hard to push the thoughts away.

He walked down the catwalk, trying not to let his worries shine through. His eyes caught Monsieur Darcy's, who smiled up at him as always, and Eren noticed that Annie was right; Levi wasn't there.

 _"I don't have to sell my soul,_  
 _he's already in me,_  
 _I don't need to sell my soul,_  
 _he's already in me,"_  Eren sang, while looking down at Darcy's table again, hoping he had just managed to overlook Levi the first time he looked. He had really hoped he would be there.

The boy tried to pull himself together as he began dancing to the slow beat. He couldn't forget Annie's words and the fact that Levi hadn't come to watch the show even though he had promised he would come by later, caused Eren to get anxious. He had been looking forward to seeing Levi again ever since he left the apartment this morning. Maybe Levi had changed his mind about him.

 _"I wanna be adored,_  
 _I wanna be adored._ "

Those words fit perfectly right now; he couldn't care less about Levi's money, he just wanted to be adored by him. The way Levi looked at him melted his heart and made him feel like he could fly. Most people looked at him like a piece of meat, like he was only worth the money they would spend on him. But Levi looked at him like he was the most precious thing in the world. So why wasn't he there?

* * *

Levi made his way to La Maison des Chats after working on Annie's and Ymir's poster all day. The poster was almost done, and he would be able to hand it over to Erwin the next day if everything went as planned. Even though he had had enough of painting for one day, and just wanted to spend time with Eren, he had brought his pencils and a stack of papers along; Eren had the tendency to inspire him and he could spend hours and hours painting him. Right now, though, he had a great urge to just see and touch him.

Hanji had gone to watch the show a few hours earlier, but Levi had stayed behind to work on the poster. She had tried to talk him into watching the show with her, but he knew that the sooner he could finish it, the sooner he would get paid; he wanted to make sure he had enough money to keep Eren from sleeping with other men. The thought of Eren pulling another man's hair and moaning against their lips kept him motivated and very frustrated, and he had worked himself hard all day to keep that from happening.

The doorman greeted him as he reached the entrance to the nightclub and asked him if he should inform Erwin that he was there. Levi thought about it for a moment, wondering if he should ask Erwin for that discount now, but decided that it could wait. Asking for a discount now would be the same as admitting that he had a soft spot for Eren, and he wasn't ready for that yet. Something in him told him that it would be wise to keep it a secret for now.

Levi told the doorman not to bother Erwin, since he was just there to work and that he would find Erwin himself if needed. The doorman let him inside the building and bowed slightly as Levi went down the hallway, heading for Eren's room. He went past the doors to the dance-hall, and saw that the main-show had ended. There were still a lot of guests left, entertained by a few girls dancing on stage and giving private performances by the tables.

Levi looked for Hanji, but couldn't see her between the many top-hats and black suits similar to the one she wore. A waiter approached him, asking if he wanted his usual table, but Levi brushed him off just like the doorman. He went further down the hallway, and up the stairs to the first floor.

Eren's room was at the back of the building, distant from the other girls' rooms. It was obvious that a fair amount of time had passed since the show had ended; normally when he went to see Eren right after the show, the hallways were empty, but now a few girls were standing out there, chatting to each other and hoping to catch a client for the night. They all greeted Levi as he walked by, most of them knowing who he was by now.

"Are you working tonight, Monsieur Levi?" Annie asked as he walked past her and Ymir, who shared a cigarette between their rooms.

Levi stopped and sent her a bored glare, which was met with the usual cold look from Annie and a curious one from Ymir.

"I fail to see how that is any of your business," Levi huffed and looked the girls up and down with a frown.

Annie smirked and winked at Ymir, not affected by his repellent attitude; "If you're here to seek inspiration," she took a deep drag of the cigarette and passed it on to the brunette, "we would gladly help you out."

Her boldness disgusted Levi, and he narrowed his eyes while the two girls pulled each other closer and smiled seductively at him. Oh, how he wanted to tell them how repulsive he thought they were, and how he wouldn't even touch them with a fire poker.

"A tempting offer," he stated, a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice, "but I do not really see anything inspiring here."

He turned and left before they managed to say more, and headed for the hallway to Eren's room. He turned around the corner, and saw Gunther in his usual spot, sleeping. Levi kicked his chair and the guard woke up with a loud yelp, looking around confused until he laid his eyes on the painter.

"Is he alone?" Levi inquired, and looked down at the guard.

Gunther scratched his neck and pulled a watch out of his pocket. He spent a moment counting his fingers before nodding. He closed his eyes again and leaned his head back against the wall, as Levi turned to open the heavy, wooden door.

The room was darker than usual. The door to the balcony was closed, and the only light in the room was a hint of moonlight, slipping past the curtains by the windows.

"Eren?" Levi called, and closed the door behind him. He squinted his eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the darkness.

"Levi!"

Levi looked in the direction of Eren's voice and saw a shadow moving on the bed behind the curtains hanging over it. Eren wrapped a robe around his body as he jumped from the bed and ran towards the painter. The brunette threw his arms around him and pressed him against the door in a tight embrace. Levi faintly remembered something similar from their first meeting.

"You came," Eren sighed against his neck, as Levi hesitantly wrapped his arms around the boy.

"Of course," he said and pulled Eren back a bit to look at his face. It was hard to make out his features in the darkness. Levi stroked his cheek and offered a kind smile; "I promised you, didn't I?"

Eren let out a giggle by the sweet caress and leaned his head against Levi's palm. Levi sent him an adoring glance, before looking around the room again.

"Why is your room always so bloody dark?" he asked, and moved to pull the curtains from the windows after placing his equipment on the table. The moonlight shone through the windows and made him able to see Eren properly.

"But I see just fine in the dark," Eren answered sweetly and followed Levi around as he illuminated the room.

"Feline-eyes?" Levi asked and stopped to lock eyes with the brunette. His green orbs shone in the moonlight.

"Oui," Eren smiled and moved closer to Levi, wanting to show his affection somehow, but not really sure what to do. He rested his head against the painter's shoulder, inhaled his smell and purred lowly.

Levi wrapped an arm around his waist. Through the silky fabric, he could feel Eren's soft skin. It was obvious that he was completely naked under the thin robe. Levi pulled him closer and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Eren sighed and returned the kiss. He let his hands slide up Levi's chest, grabbing onto his shirt.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come," Eren whispered after breaking the kiss. His lips brushed against Levi's as he spoke, and he pulled gently at Levi's clothes, kissing him more deeply this time. Levi wrapped his arm tighter around Eren's waist and cupped his cheek with his free hand.

"How come?" he asked lowly, breaking the kiss once more, "I told you I would come by later."

Eren let the painter pull him in for another kiss, and parted his lips to let the other brush his tongue over his lower lip.

"But you didn't come to watch the show," he purred and let Levi's tongue inside his mouth, meeting it half-way with his own. He tightened his grip on Levi's shirt and moved closer into the embrace.

Levi broke the kiss to look into Eren's green eyes, as he let his hand run through his soft hair. "I had to work," he whispered, "Besides, I am not really a fan of those shows."

Eren's eyes widened a bit. "You think I'm a bad dancer?" he asked, obviously affected by the statement.

"That's not what I meant," Levi said and stroked his cheek again, "You're a terrific dancer. I just don't care to watch the other girls. I don't mind watching you," he looked down the boy's body, where the robe hang loosely around his slender frame, showing off most of his chest and shoulders, "at all."

Eren smiled seductively, nuzzling Levi's neck and sliding his hands into his dark locks, fingers softly caressing his scalp. Levi breathed in sharply at the sensation. He remembered how he had tried to imitate the feeling of Eren's hands in his hair when he was showering, and the real deal sent chills down his spine.

"Then maybe I should give you a private show sometime," Eren purred and let the tip of his nose brush against Levi's, his lips ghosting teasingly over the painter's.

"Maybe you should," Levi murmured and closed the gab between them again. He kissed Eren a bit more roughly this time, letting his tongue run over the brunette's upper lip, not waiting to be allowed entrance before invading his mouth again.

Eren let a pleased sound escape his throat as he returned the kiss passionately. He let his tongue move slowly along Levi's, enjoying the familiar taste of the painter and whiskey, while digging his hand through his hair again and grabbing onto the black locks gently. Levi growled lowly, wanting Eren to grab his hair more firmly, and pulled Eren closer to deepen the kiss. He let his hands wander up and down the boys back, feeling the soft skin under the thin fabric. His hand slid down the young body and touched his ass gently. Eren moaned lowly into the kiss, encouraging Levi to continue. The latter took a firm grip on his ass, earning him another low moan.

Eren began to slowly pull Levi back towards the bed, still pulling slightly at his hair. Levi let the brunette lead him, holding him tight and kissing him over and over again.

"I wish I had come by earlier," he broke the kiss and whispered. He placed gentle kisses down Eren's neck and shoulder, licking the tanned skin, wanting to touch and taste every inch.

"You're here now," Eren whispered back, digging his nails into Levi's neck and accidentally letting out his claws in excitement.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," Levi hummed before letting their lips meet again, as they took a few awkward steps closer to the bed somewhere behind Eren.

"It's okay," Eren purred back against the painter's lips, "I had a client just before you got here."

"You... you what?" Levi asked, as they fell onto the bed. He landed on top of Eren and got up on his elbows to look down at the boy.

"I had a..." Eren trailed off as he noticed the serious expression in Levi's eyes. Eren looked away and bit his lip, as a frustrated frown settled on the painter's face. "I was afraid you wouldn't come. I... I had to make money."

"No, don't be sorry, I should have come by earlier," Levi cut him off, and wiped the frown off his face. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Eren's lips. Eren returned the kiss but held back a little, wanting to make sure Levi was fine with it before taking it to the next step. It wasn't really like he had a choice, especially when it came to Erwin's benefiters. One of them had come by after the show, demanding to spend an hour with Eren before he went to a meeting at Erwin's office, and even though Eren preferred to wait for Levi, he really didn't have a choice.

Levi kissed Eren over and over again, desperate to remove the image of Eren with someone else from his mind. He let his hand slide up the boy's side, focusing on the feeling of his skin through the robe. He licked his lower lip and explored his mouth, feeling the sweet taste of peppermint on Eren's tongue. Eren wrapped his arms around Levi's back and let out a low sound.

The image of Eren squirming under someone else kept finding it's way to Levi's mind; Eren wrapping his arms around someone else, letting out pleased or painful sounds as someone else touched him, licked him, kissed him...

Levi jerked back and rolled over on his back, hiding his face in his hands as he breathed in deeply. He forced himself to think of something else; anything but Eren with someone else.

Eren sat up on the edge of the bed and spoke before Levi managed to explain himself; "You are mad at me," the boy said lowly and wrapped the robe tighter around his body.

"Eren, do you really like it here?" Levi asked and sat up as well. Eren looked at his hands in his lap, and Levi pulled off his jacket and moved a bit closer after placing it neatly next to him on the bed.

"What do you mean?" Eren asked, cocking his head.

"Do you like living here? Like this?"

"It is not that bad," Eren shrugged, but his voice revealed that he didn't really mean it, "Besides, I already told you; I can not leave."

"I don't want you to sleep with other men," Levi spoke honestly, admitting how much it bothered him, "I know it is not up to me to decide, but -"

"Do you believe me when I say that I love you?" Eren cut him off, as he turned his head to look at the painter. He was desperate to make sure Levi knew how he felt about him. He couldn't let anyone else know, but he was determined to let Levi know exactly how much he loved him. It wasn't like anything he had ever felt before, and Levi's affection meant so much to him.

"I do," Levi answered as he looked into Eren's sad eyes.

"Then please believe me too, when I say that I don't want to sleep with other men," Eren grabbed Levi's hands and sent him an intense look, "I do not have a choice, and please don't ask me why, but  _believe me_  when I say that I only want to sleep with you." Eren looked at him with pleading eyes; he really wanted Levi to believe him. He wished he could just leave this place and only be with Levi, but that wasn't an option. Nevertheless, he wanted Levi to believe him, because he knew his feelings were genuine.

"I believe you, but then you have to trust me as well," Levi said and squeezed Eren's hands.

"I do trust -" Eren started, but Levi sent him a look that silenced him.

"You have to trust me when I say I'm going to come by later, brat. You didn't have to take that client earlier tonight. I was going to pay you for the entire night," the painter said firmly.

"Levi, I still feel like you're wasting your money on me," Eren said and looked down. He couldn't get himself to tell Levi that when it came to Erwin's benefiters, he didn't have a choice. Erwin always made sure they got exactly what they wanted, to make sure they kept supporting him.

"Stop saying that," Levi snapped, and let go of Eren's hands to rub his eyes. He loosened his cravat and opened a few buttons on his shirt, while kicking off his shoes. Then he sighed and sent Eren an apologetic look. The boy just smiled, sadness dimming his otherwise bright eyes and he looked down. "Look," Levi said softly and wrapped his arms around Eren, pulling him closer. He touched his chin and gently forced his head up to let their eyes meet; "I'm not wasting my money on you. I hate the thought of you with another man, more than you can ever imagine. It sickens me to know that you are forced to let others touch you, when I don't even want to let other people look at you. I would spend every single penny I'll ever earn for the rest of my life, to get you out of here, but since you are as popular as you are, I doubt Mister Erwin will let you go. All I can do for now is to make sure that I'm the only one you spend your nights with, and that is what I'm going to do. So don't ever say that I am wasting my money on you."

Eren gulped as his cheeks turned pink. He didn't know what to say, but Levi's words made him wish to stay in his arms forever. He had been so worried that Levi would turn to one of the other girls instead, but the fact that Levi felt the same way as he did, made his heart jump with joy. He leaned in and kissed the painter. Words couldn't describe how happy Levi's words made him, and he had to let his actions speak for him. His hand found it's way to Levi's hair again and he pulled lightly at the dark locks.

"Wait," Levi said after breaking the kiss, knowing where this was going, "I can't sleep with you tonight."

Eren sent him a puzzled look, trying to figure out if he was joking. Then his face turned to a hurt frown; he wasn't used to being rejected. Actually, he was only used to people coming to see him when they wanted to sleep with him.

"You don't find me attrac-"

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence!" Levi cut him off and locked eyes with him again, "Of course I find you attractive," he looked down at Eren's body, where the robe had loosened itself again and had slid down Eren's shoulder, revealing most of his upper body. "Very,  _very_  attractive."

"Then why?" Eren asked, cocking his head in wonder.

"Because I'm not just interested in your body," Levi answered and placed a soft kiss on Eren's lips, "I truly care about you, Eren. I don't want to just sleep with you. I want to show you how much I love you."

Eren gulped again; as if Levi hadn't sweet-talked him enough already. He wasn't sure he could take much more, and he blushed deeply again.

"Y-you... love me?" he asked, hoping it wasn't just a slip of the tongue.

"I love you," Levi repeated and leaned in to close the gab between them again.

"Je t'aime," Eren whispered against Levi's lips as he melted between his arms again. Levi made him so incredibly happy, happier than he had been for years, and he wanted to pay him back somehow, yet all he could offer was his body. "Levi," he said as they broke the kiss, "Tell me how I can repay you for everything you're doing for me."

"You don't have to do anything," Levi said with a gentle smile, "I just want to spend time with you."

"But then," Eren thought for a moment, trying to come up with something he could do for the older man, "Let me give you a massage. Or I could pose for you if you want to paint me again."

"Oh, would you shut up," Levi said and pulled Eren into another kiss to silence him. Eren hummed happily against the kiss, thinking about how much he loved Levi's British accent. He pushed Levi back onto the bed before placing sweet kisses along his jawline and laying down next to him, accidentally letting his ears and tail pop out.

"You are really adorable, you know that?" Levi smiled and petted Eren's head. Eren let out a low purr before moving a bit closer to the painter.

"I want to know more about you, Levi," he said and rested his head on Levi's shoulder as the latter turned a bit to get a better look at the brunette.

"There's not much to know."

"How old are you?" Eren asked and began fiddling with Levi's shirt, not able to keep his hands away from him.

"25," Levi answered, "Turning 26 this Christmas."

"Do you have a family?"

"Yeah, in London. I rarely talk to them, though," Levi said and continued as he noticed Eren's puzzled look. Remembering that Eren had been abandoned as a child - or kitten - it wasn't surprising that he had trouble understanding why someone who actually had a family, rarely talked to them. "My parents weren't exactly thrilled when they found out I wanted to be a painter. Most people end up broke and homeless if they choose to follow that road, and I guess they didn't want to end up taking care of me. But painting is all I've ever wanted to do, and I knew I could pull it through somehow."

"And you did?" Eren asked, caught up in the story.

"Indeed. I've made a name for myself back in London, and I came to Paris to do the same," Levi said and studied Eren's mesmerizing green eyes for a moment, "Not exactly like this, though, but I guess it's something."

Eren let out a giggle. Thinking back to his first meeting with the painter, he could only imagine how this was nothing like what he had planned when he came to France. Levi smiled at Eren's sweet expression, and leaned down to kiss him again. He couldn't stop looking at him; couldn't stop touching him and caressing him.

"What is it like in London?" Eren then asked, accidentally unbuttoning Levi's shirt a bit more, and let his fingers ghost over his pale chest. Levi breathed in sharply at the touch, and reminded himself that he wouldn't sleep with Eren tonight. The boy's touch was so innocent, which made it even more arousing and knowing how easy it would be to just lean in and let his desires take over, made it almost impossible to resist.

"It's hard to explain," Levi said, trying to clear his head and remember his home-town, "Pretty similar to Paris in some ways, I guess."

"Really?" Eren asked, and let his fingers roam over Levi's neck along with the collar of his shirt. Levi managed to hide how it affected him, and Eren just wanted to know more about London. "Does it look like Paris?"

"Well," Levi said, still trying to remember what London even looked like, "Yes... and no."

"I do not understand."

"Hang on, let me show you," Levi said, and got up from the bed. He went to the table and got his drawing-equipment and brought it back to the bed. He laid down on his stomach and Eren rolled over to lie next to him as Levi spread the papers over the bed and grabbed a pencil.

"London is quite a big city, and I haven't really seen it all," Levi said, and placed the pencil against a piece of paper, "but I can show you some parts of the city. I live near the River Thames, which runs through London."

He drew a line across the paper, and began telling about his neighbourhood as he drew it on the paper. He drew the buildings as he remembered the view from his apartment, and the Tower Bridge over the River Thames. Eren listened and looked at the paper, as the drawing evolved from Levi's hand. At some point Levi removed the drawing and grabbed another paper, trying to recreate the view of Westminster Palace, complete with Big Ben, even though he had trouble remembering the little details. Eren's eyes shone as Levi told about Piccadilly Circus and he drew the large buildings and horse-drawn carriages on the wide streets.

"Amazing," Eren breathed, completely fascinated by what he had seen and heard.

"Yeah, it is actually quite nice," Levi agreed as he looked at his drawings.

"Can I..." Eren started, looking up at Levi with excited eyes, "Keep them?"

"What, the drawings?"

Eren nodded, looking at the painter with pleading eyes.

"Of course. They're yours if you want them," Levi answered, feeling his heart melting as he saw how happy Eren was as he collected the papers while his tail wiggled from side to side in excitement.

"I really wish I could see London with my own eyes," Eren said, and got up to place the drawings in a drawer of the night-stand which stood next to the bed.

Levi rolled over on his back again as Eren climbed back onto the bed and placed himself next to him again. The painter wrapped his arm around Eren and pulled him closer.

"You should," he said and placed a kiss on Eren's forehead. Had it been up to him, he would just grab Eren and bring him back to London. And keep him there.

"I can't," Eren sighed, and cuddled up against Levi. He took a deep breath through his nose, enjoying Levi's smell. "I am not even allowed to go outside unless Monsieur Erwin gives me permission to do so. If he ever found out I left this morning, he would kill me."

"You could just run away, Eren," Levi said lowly and stroked the boy's hair, "You could go back to London with me. I could take care of you."

"I can't leave," Eren simply said.

"But he can't keep an eye on you all the -"

"Until Monsieur Erwin decides to let me go," Eren said and looked up at Levi with a bitter-sweet look in his eyes, "I can only dream of the world outside these walls."

Levi settled on not getting Eren to tell him what kept him here, and leaned down to kiss him. It was obvious that the subject affected the boy, and Levi didn't want to ruin the mood with questions he wouldn't get answered anyway. He held Eren tightly, wanting to protect him from all the evil in the world, and kissed him again and again, until he could feel Eren relax in his arms and his mood had turned to the better.

They laid like that for a while, cuddled up on Eren's big bed. The moonlight shone through the windows, but they were partly hidden behind the thin curtains, and fell asleep wrapped in each others arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Eren sings in the middle of the chapter is 'I wanna be adored' by Stone Rose. I doesn't really play a big part in the chapter, but it's a very sweet song. I like it a lot.  
> Thank you to Taboo, Baiko and LoveAllAnime for beta'ing and making this chapter so much better!
> 
> Merry Christmas!


	9. The Spell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is practicing his new act in his room, when Levi's comes to visit him. Eren loves that Levi is so sweet and gentle towards him, but wants to take their relationship to the next level. Since he's already in his costume, he decides to give Levi a private performance.

Eren laid on his bed in the dark room, feeling restless. The show had ended half an hour ago, and he knew he had at least an hour to kill, before Levi would come by. Just as promised, the painter had come to visit him every night, preventing him from sleeping with other men. He had also come by the nightclub a few times in the daily hours to hand over posters and have short meetings with Erwin. When they ran into each other in the hallways, they had to ignore each other, but always managed to sent each other a short loving glance. One time when no one was around, Levi had pulled Eren aside and hidden them behind a curtain, giving them the opportunity to exchange needy kisses and sweet words.

He rolled over and hid his face in the pillow, blushing deeply at the bare thought of Levi's loving words. He got butterflies in his stomach every time he thought about Levi and it felt like his body was too small to contain such big feelings.

Oh, how he missed Levi, even though it was nice to have a little free-time in between the shows and Levi's visits. He really wanted to see him right now.

He knew Levi worked hard to make sure he had money to pay for Eren, and he felt guilty every time he saw how tired Levi was when he came by at night after working the entire day. The circles under his eyes seemed to darken day by day, and sometimes he looked like he was about to pass out from exhaustion. Eren did his best to make it up to him and offered Levi to do whatever he wanted, but all Levi ever asked him to do was cuddle and talk until he wasn't able to stay awake anymore. Some nights he seemed a little more energetic and he would draw and paint Eren for hours, adoring his body.

Levi always left early in the morning before Eren woke up. It was sad to wake up alone in the large bed, and Eren wanted to wish Levi a good day and kiss him goodbye, but when he asked him to wake him up before he left, Levi said that he couldn't get himself to wake him up, when he looked so cute in his sleep; he curled up like a cat as soon as Levi left his side and purred lowly when Levi nuzzled his hair as a goodbye. Every morning when Eren woke up, he found a note from Levi on the night-stand, containing loving words and a little drawing along with 80 francs.

Eren got off of the bed, and went to the table to grab the bottle of whiskey he had bought earlier that day. Erwin had let him go out to do his weekly shopping and thanks to Levi he had enough money to buy the things he needed and a bottle of whiskey for the painter. It seemed a little foolish to buy a gift for Levi for the money he had given him himself, but Eren really wanted Levi to feel comfortable when he was there.

He moved the bottle around a little, trying to make it look inviting but he realized it was his insecurities that made him feel nervous. He had a special plan for tonight. It was nice to avoid having sex for money, but he wanted Levi.

He loved that Levi wanted to spend time with him and just talk, but it wasn't enough anymore. He needed his lips and warm hands on his body, and for the first time in his life, he  _wanted_  to have sex with another person. He thought about Levi all the time; dreamed about him every night, from the moment he fell asleep in his arms and right till he woke up, missing the warmth of his body. He would often wake up a couple of times during the night, move around a bit and cuddle up next to Levi again, studying his relaxed face for a moment, before going back to sleep. Levi was such a gorgeous man, and Eren loved to study his features but he often felt embarrassed about looking at him for too long.

Eren moved the whiskey-bottle back to it's original place on the table, and turned away before he would change his mind again. He walked back and forth, looking at the clock on his night-stand again and again. The time seemed to go by very slowly, and it was almost unbearable to wait for Levi tonight. He knew Levi desired him, it was obvious in the way he looked at him and touched him, but he was too good at keeping himself under control to fall for Eren's hidden attempts to seduce him. It was obvious that Levi wanted to make sure Eren knew he didn't just wanted to sleep with him, but Eren was more than ready to take the next step.

He sighed deeply at his own frustration, as he pulled on his robe and walked over to the door. Gunther was asleep as always and Eren tried to wake him up as gently as possible. The guard woke up with a loud yelp and knocked his head back against the wall, startled by Eren's sudden interfering in one of his many daily naps.

"I'm so sorry, Monsieur Gunther, I didn't mean to scare you," Eren apologized. He knew it was wise to stay on the guard's good side, he was one of Erwin's men after all. He didn't really interact much with Gunther, but he knew he was there to keep an eye on who came to Eren's room, and probably to make sure he didn't run away or went out without permission. Luckily, he didn't have to sneak behind the guard to get outside, and he was happy that Erwin hadn't figured out that he could get out through the balcony.

"Don't apologize, Mademoiselle, I shouldn't be asleep on my watch," the guard said sheepishly and scratched his neck. Eren wondered why he would say that, when both of them knew he would go right back to sleep as soon as he saw the opportunity. "Do you need anything?"

"I was wondering if you could bring me my new costume, Monsieur?" Eren asked as he leaned against the door-frame.

"I'll go ask Monsieur Erwin right away," the guard said and got up from his chair, "Just stay here."

"Of course, Monsieur," Eren said sweetly and offered him a smile, "Please tell Monsieur Erwin that I wish to practice for my next performance."

Gunther nodded and turned away, heading for Erwin's office, and Eren returned to his room. He had practiced the new song a few times with music, but Erwin wasn't satisfied with his performance. Eren knew it was due to Levi, who kept popping up in his head, making it hard for him to concentrate on, well, basically everything. Erwin had ordered Eren to pull himself together and practice the act on his own. Since he was waiting for Levi anyway, now was probably a good time to go through the act.

A couple of minutes later Eren heard a knock on the door. His heart skipped a beat until he remembered it was probably Gunther who had returned with the costume.

Instead of Gunther, Eren saw Sasha standing in the hallway as he opened the door. Eren looked at her in wonder, and wrapped the robe tighter around his body.

"Can I help you?" he asked with a puzzled expression.

"Monsieur Gunther was walking around helplessly in the wardrobe, looking for your new costume," Sasha said and sent him a smile, "I offered him to bring it to you. The poor man looked like he was about to have a mental breakdown. I think all the costumes look the same to him."

Eren smiled in slight amusement. He could imagine the guard feeling completely out of place between the many costumes, and probably with a couple of girls changing clothes down there too.

Sasha handed him a neatly folded stack of black and green clothes and Eren reached out to accept it.

"Thank you," he said and made a move to close the door again.

"Chasseuse," Sasha said and placed her hand against the door. Her expression had turned serious and she locked eyes with the other dancer. "Don't let Annie get to you. She thinks the painter is filthy rich and she wants a part of it. She's only trying to make you insecure."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Eren said coldly, trying to cover up the truth. He had tried his best to hide his and Levi's relationship, and not get affected by Annie and Ymir's comments. No matter how many times Levi told him he loved him, Eren was still afraid Levi would realize one day, that he was only a lousy whore and leave him for someone better. "I don't care about neither Annie nor the painter."

Sasha smiled and tilted her head. "I understand. I just thought I should mention that I've noticed the way he looks at you. He would never let anyone take your place."

Eren was taken aback by her words, looking at her with wide eyes. He tried to figure out how to assure her nothing was going on between them, but Sasha just smiled at his reaction and let go of the door.

"I'm going to get myself a snack now, I'm starving," she beamed and turned away from the door, "Have a nice evening -" she looked back at him "- Eren."

The boy looked after her as she skipped down the hallway, heading for the kitchen. It seemed like he could trust her, but he still thought it wisely to keep the secret to himself.

Gunther returned to his post with a pillow and Eren apologized for sending him on the impossible mission, before closing the door again with the costume in his arms. He walked over to the mirror and placed the clothes on a chair before letting the robe slide off of his shoulders and pool behind his feet on the floor, revealing his naked body bathed in the moonlight. He enjoyed being naked and looking at his body in the mirror. He turned around and looked at the reflection of his ass, pushing it out a bit to make it look more inviting. He wiggled it and wondered what kind of look would work on Levi.

Deciding he should get the practice over with, he turned to the chair and grabbed the pair of black lace panties and held them out in front of him to find out which side was the front. He pulled them on and checked out his ass in the mirror again. The panties only covered the lowest half of his butt and were held together with thin silk strings over the upper part of his rear. They looked like they were painted on his bum and Eren wondered if Levi would come and watch the show if he knew he wore something like this. The painter hadn't watched the shows since the night he performed with  _'The Lovecats'_ , and even though Eren understood why Levi had to work, he really loved to be on stage knowing that Levi was watching him. It would be nice if he had the time to come see it, just once in a while.

Eren turned around to see what the panties looked like on the front. The black strings were braided over his hips, fitting perfectly over his tanned skin. Over the lacy front were a large green silk-bow, covering most of his crotch and bouncing lightly every time he moved his hips.

He grabbed the black garters from the chair and placed them around his hip over the edge of the panties. Then he gently pulled on the green lace stockings, making sure not to rip the fragile fabric, and locked them onto the garters. He straightened the stockings and noticed how weird it felt to touch his thighs through the transparent fabric. It almost felt like someone else touched him. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine it was Levi's hands, as he let his fingers run up his thigh. It was nothing compared to the painter's touch.

Eren looked at himself in the mirror again and turned to see every angle of his new costume. He let his tail pop out between the garters and panties, just to check if it was possible. How anyone could find that attractive was beyond his comprehension; it was just a butt and a tail. He let a bitter-sweet huff escape his lips as he turned to the chair again, letting the tail grow back. The fact that men found him attractive was his only way to make money, otherwise he wouldn't be there. He could be somewhere else, probably poor and living on the streets, but at least he wouldn't have to sell his body. But then he would never have met Levi.

Eren sighed and grabbed the corset from the chair. Levi was the only really good thing about being here. He actually liked to perform; it was fun to sing and dance, and he would be lying if he said that he didn't enjoy the attention, but he really wished it didn't have to be like this.

He swung the corset around his back and locked the buttons on the front. It was very short and revealed most of his stomach, only leaving his chest covered. It was made from black laces, similar to the panties and with green ribbons on the edges and zig-zagging up on the sides. After he had buttoned it, he pulled it up a bit, only to feel it slide down again. He had apparently lost a bit of weight since it was made, and he had to tighten it on the back to make sure it stayed in place.

He pulled on his most comfortable pair of black high heels, and looked at the final result in the mirror. He had definitely lost some weight and his hair was getting longer; his bangs fell into his eyes and covered his ears by now. He dug his hands through the brown locks and ruffled his hair, making it look like bed-hair. He stroke a pose in front of the mirror, sending himself bedroom-eyes while cocking his hip. He smiled and decided that he actually looked pretty good. Maybe if Levi saw him like this, he wouldn't be able to hold back.

Eren smirked and winked at his reflection, and let all his inhibitions fall; not that he was shy in the first place, but completely letting go of his self-consciousness made it easier to perform. He warmed up his voice while studying himself in the mirror and moved his hips slowly from side to side. He practiced a few poses in front of the mirror, constantly thinking about how it would affect Levi if he could see him.

 _"I put a spell on you,"_  he sang and swung his hips smoothly from side to side, snapping his fingers to the beat and keeping the other hand on his waist.  _"Because you're mine."_

He continued singing, happy to realize that he had finally managed to learn the lyrics. It was a bit hard to move as instructed while singing, since the corset was tight and the singing required deep breaths. He pushed out his ass and knelt down slowly, while letting his hands run over his thighs.

_"You better stop the -"_

He was interrupted by a loud knock on the door, and looked up. His heart skipped a beat again, as he looked over his shoulder at the clock on the night-stand. It was still a bit early for Levi to come by, but Gunther knew he wasn't taking any other clients tonight. Eren grabbed his robe while getting on his feet, almost tripping in the high heels before kicking them off. He ran towards the door while wrapping the robe around his body.

"Levi!" he yelled happily, as he laid eyes on the painter after opening the door. The older man returned the greeting with a smile, never getting tired of how happy Eren seemed every time he saw him. "Why are you knocking? You know you can just enter."

"Tell that to that idiotic gorilla of a guard," Levi said and sent Gunther a dirty look, "He told me you were busy and that I shouldn't interrupt you."

Gunther obviously had trouble understanding every word Levi said, but from the look on his face, he had figured out it was an insult.

"Oh, I suppose Monsieur Gunther just wanted to make sure I could practice in peace," Eren said and leaned in to sent the guard a smile, just to make sure Levi wouldn't get in trouble, "Merci, Monsieur Gunther."

The smile and polite words apparently did the trick and the guard closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall again.

"Lazy sod," Levi huffed, just before Eren pulled him inside and closed the door behind him.

"Are you always that provocative?" Eren asked the painter and sent him a bright smile, loving the way Levi never held back.

"I'm just honest," Levi smirked and lifted his eyebrow in defense. He leaned his hands against the door, trapping Eren between his arms.

"Have you ever gotten beat up because you're  _'just being honest'_?" Eren asked, sending Levi a teasing smile.

"What, you think I'm some fragile weakling?" Levi said and leaned in, his face inches away from Eren's.

"No," Eren said lowly and wrapped his arms around Levi's body, "I think you're very strong and handsome." He closed the gap between them and let his lips meet Levi's in a hungry kiss, wanting to show Levi just how much he had missed him since he left that morning. Levi moved his hands from the door to Eren's back and held him tightly while returning the kiss.

"Well, you've got that right," he said as they let their lips part again, and he sent the boy an adoring glance, "That, and I am very good at talking myself out of trouble."

"I bet you are," Eren giggled and let out a low purr as he kissed Levi again.

Levi let his hand brush through Eren's soft hair and let his tongue slip into his mouth as the boy parted his lips, welcoming him. Eren returned the kiss, but let Levi dominate it as always, trusting the older man to take good care of him. Levi sighed against Eren's lips, feeling all his tensions slowly fading away. He trusted Eren completely, but he felt anxious every time he had to leave him. He was afraid to find Eren in another man's arms one day; not because Eren would want to, but because Erwin would force him to. While walking back to Hanji's apartment every morning, worst-case scenarios would pop into his head and roam in his mind all day, right until he could hold Eren in his arms again. He felt powerless, knowing he couldn't do anything to get Eren out of there.

"Did I interrupt something?" Levi asked kindly after breaking the kiss again.

"No! No, not at all," Eren reassured him and pulled a bit at his jacket, eager to kiss him again.

"Were you practicing?" Levi asked, trying to make his words understandable against Eren's lips.

"Yes, but -" Eren kissed him again, needing more than just little sweet kisses, "- it doesn't matter."

"New act?" Levi murmured, trying to return the kiss between his words.

"Mhm," Eren hummed against the painter's lips, wishing Levi would just shut up and kiss him properly.

Levi grabbed Eren's shoulders and pulled him away gently, making it impossible for Eren to attack him again. He looked at the boy and smiled; it was flattering that Eren wanted to kiss him so badly. It made him feel like Eren had missed him just as much as Levi had missed the boy, but he preferred to be allowed to form an entire sentence without being cut off, even if it was with a kiss. Eren sent him a sweet smile in return, trying to hypnotize him to kiss him again.

"You should finish your practice then," Levi said and placed a gentle kiss on Eren's forehead. Eren really loved that Levi treated him so kindly. Up until he met Levi, he had often felt alone, but Levi really made him feel loved. He felt like he was actually worth something. But right now, he wanted more than to be treated kindly. He wanted Levi to touch and kiss him, he wanted to feel how much he wanted him.

"No, I do not want to think about work, when I'm with you," Eren said and clung onto Levi, afraid he would leave again and come back later.

"I don't want your work to get affected by my visits," Levi stated, and his face turned serious, "If Erwin finds out about us, you might get in trouble. I don't trust him."

"Don't go," Eren whispered while sending Levi a pleading look. He had missed him so much, he couldn't bear if he left again now.

"Of course not, I won't leave," Levi said and pulled Eren into a tight embrace, "I have been looking forward to seeing you all day. I'll work while you practice."

Levi placed another gentle kiss on Eren's lips, before retreating to the table, to get his watercolours and some paper. He had left the equipment there, since it seemed foolish to bring it back and forth everyday, just in case he suddenly felt inspired. Even though he was sick and tired of painting every night when he left Hanji's apartment after working on the posters the entire day, when it came to painting Eren, it was just different.

Eren watched Levi as he sat down by the table and stacked the papers neatly in front of him. The boy thought about what to do; it would be wise to practice the act, but he really wanted Levi's attention. All of it.

"Levi," Eren said sweetly and moved over to the table, leaning his butt against the surface next to the painter, "Maybe I could give you that private performance now?"

"What do you mean?" Levi asked, looking at the boy curiously.

"I mean -" Eren purred and let the robe slide off of his shoulders to reveal the costume underneath, "- I'd like you to look at me."

Levi looked him up and down, letting his eyes wander over Eren's naked stomach, his ribbon-covered hips and his long legs in the green lacy-stockings. His face remained expressionless, but it was obvious he felt tempted to accept the offer. Then he locked eyes with Eren, who sent him an innocent look, completely opposite to his seductive voice.

"Very well then," Levi said calmly and turned the chair to face the boy.

Eren smiled sweetly and let the robe fall to the floor as he moved away from the table, making sure to give Levi a good view of his ass.

"Just give me a moment," he said and moved to the other side of the table to bring Levi a glass of whiskey. As he poured the liquid, he told himself that now was the time to seduce the painter. He had to make him lose all inhibitions. He could feel Levi's eyes on him, and he really hoped he couldn't see his hands shaking. Why was he even so nervous? He had done this a million times and he had never been nervous about performing before. He knew the song, he knew how to move his body; even if he forgot the moves, he could just improvise and do what felt good.

Levi smiled as he watched Eren, but Eren was too caught up in his own thoughts to notice. He seemed a bit flustered tonight and it was really cute. Levi just wanted to grab him and make him even more flustered. He looked so good in that outfit. Eren had probably no idea how sexy he was and how good his ass looked in those very revealing panties. It was almost irresistible.

Eren placed the glass in front of Levi, locking eyes with him for a moment while he bit his lip. Levi remained calm and just took a sip while Eren went back to the mirror to check his costume one last time.

"Eren," Levi murmured, "You're very beautiful."

Eren smiled seductively and turned away from the mirror. He was still nervous, but he had to hide it. After four years as a prostitute, he had learned to be a good actor.

"Are you ready?" he purred while stepping into his black heels again.

"Always," Levi said calmly, a smirk playing on the corner of his mouth.

Eren closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let his hand run through his hair and over his neck to calm himself was just a performance like any other. He was good at this and there was no turning back now, not with Levi sitting a few steps away, focusing all his attention on him.

Levi watched as Eren let his fingers through his brown locks and let them caress his neck. Even when Eren touched himself like that, Levi felt his desire grow. He wanted to give in, but it was important for him to make sure Eren knew that he loved him no matter what.

Eren opened his eyes and placed one hand on his hip, and began snapping his fingers with the other.

 _"I put a spell on you,  
because you're mine,"_  Eren sang while moving his hips slowly from side to side, making the green bow on his panties bounce lightly. The moonlight enveloped him and made him look like a fairytale-creature, as his eyes shone dangerously, making the green colour of his clothes seem pale compared to his eyes.

 _"You better stop the things you do,  
I said watch out, I ain't lying."_  Eren stroke a pose, pushing his ass to the side and tilting his head to expose his neck. He let his fingers run from his waist up his side, and further up to touch his collarbone and neck. He looked at Levi through half-lidded eyes. Levi let his eyes rest on Eren's hypnotizing hips, but his face still showed no expression. Eren decided to knock the performance up a notch. He had to break Levi's self-control.

 _"I can't stand it,  
because you're running around,"_  Eren sang and knelt down slowly while letting his hands run over his inner thighs. He forced himself to keep the eye-contact with Levi, as his knees hit the floor.

 _"I can't stand it,  
because you're putting me down,"_  he continued while spreading his legs and sending Levi a seductive look. It was a nerve-wrecking game, and he wouldn't know what to do with himself if Levi still managed to keep his cool after the performance. He let a low pant escape his lips as he felt his own fingers against his inner-thighs, roaming over his crotch.

 _"So I - I put a spell on you,_  
because you're mine,  
Oh, you're mine."

Eren leaned forwards and placed his hand on the floor. He slowly began crawling towards Levi, making sure to move his butt from side to side to give Levi a good look at it. Levi studied Eren's movements, and as the boy slowly moved closer to him, the painter grabbed his almost full glass and emptied it. He never took his eyes away from Eren's.

 _"You better stop the things you're doing,_  
I said watch out, I ain't lying,  
Oh, I ain't lying," Eren purred, beginning to feel at ease about the whole act. The way Levi tossed down the rest of his whiskey, revealed something his face still managed to hide; what Eren was doing worked.

Eren got back on his feet again gracefully, still keeping Levi's eyes locked with his own. He sent him a flirtatious smirk and placed his foot on the edge of Levi's chair, barely letting his heel touch the painter's thigh. The boy placed his hands on his hips again and began moving them from side to side.

 _"Because baby, I love you,  
can't you see that I love you,"_  he sang lowly. He noticed how Levi's fingers itched to touch his leg, but Eren refused to move in closer before Levi gave in.

_"I love you, I love you,  
even if you don't love me too."_

Levi looked up at Eren at those last words. Eren's shining green eyes were as inviting as ever. It was hard for the painter not to let his eye wander lower down his body, when it was positioned right in front of him, practically begging for his touch.  _Begging for his touch._

Levi moved his hand to Eren's ankle and let it slide up the calf of his leg. Eren released a pleased sound as he slid down to straddle the painter. He could feel Levi's hand run further up his leg and grabbed onto the back of his thigh.

 _"I put a spell on you, yes I did,  
because you're mine, you're mine,"_  Eren purred lowly against Levi's ear, before placing his hand on the older man's knee behind him, and leaning back to give him another flirtatious smile and let Levi look at his body. Feeling Levi's hungry eyes wander over his body, made a wave of heat run through Eren's body.

Levi let his fingers ghost over Eren's exposed stomach, and Eren pushed his ass closer to Levi's crotch. The painter got the hint and let his hand wander over the boy's abdomen and waist. He felt the soft skin against his palm and craved more.

 _"So I - I put a spell on you,_  
 _because you're mine,"_  Eren purred again and ground his ass against Levi's lap.

Levi looked at the erotic sight in front of him, as his mind turned empty. He let his hand run over Eren's stomach again and tightened his grip on his thigh. Eren let out a deep sigh and the painter grabbed both thighs and pulled the brunette closer.

Eren leaned in and wrapped his arms around Levi's neck, while parting his legs further. His crotch ground against Levi's and he let out another sigh as his dick twitched.

 _"You're mine,"_  Eren whispered against Levi's ear and dug his hands through his black locks. He could feel the painter's hands slide up his thighs through the laces surrounding them, and over the naked skin to his half-exposed butt. He placed a soft kiss on Levi's ear-lope, hoping he wouldn't stop this time.

Levi hissed and tightened his grip on Eren's ass, as the boy gently pulled his hair. He inhaled the smell of Eren's neck and placed a kiss on his collarbone. His mind had stopped working. He just had to have Eren now.

Eren let out a muffled sound by the soft kiss and pulled Levi's hair again, encouraging him to continue. Levi gave in and parted his lips to trail wet kisses over Eren's neck and shoulder. The obsessive yet gentle touch made Eren purr lowly and he nibbled on Levi's ear-lope while letting his hands slide down and pull off the painter's jacket. Levi let go of Eren's ass to let the sleeves slide off his arms, before letting his hands move up Eren's thighs again.

"Levi," Eren purred against the painter's neck and let his lips ghost over the pale skin, while loosening his cravat and slowly unbuttoning his shirt,"I don't want you to pay me tonight."

Levi pulled Eren back a bit to look at him. His green eyes shone in the dark room, and he looked back at the painter with an intense look. His lips were slightly parted and their faces were close enough for Levi to feel his warm breath.

"Eren, I've already told you -" Levi started, but Eren placed a finger on his lip and let his other hand caress his chest.

"I don't want to be a prostitute. Not tonight," he whispered back and moved his finger from Levi's lip to let him answer. Levi studied Eren's face for a moment before closing the gab between them. He accepted Eren's request, promising himself to make up for it in some other way. Eren sighed happily against the kiss and parted his lips to let Levi explore his mouth. He tugged at Levi's shirt, and Levi let go of him again to let him pull the clothes off. His hands found Eren's waist again soon after, and slid up his stomach to free him from the corset. Eren leaned back a bit to let Levi's hands work, but never broke the kiss. He nuzzled the nape of his neck, while Levi unbuttoned the tight piece of clothes, and Eren breathed in deeply as it fell to the ground, finally allowing him to breath properly again. Levi's hands slid all the way up Eren's back, pulling him deeper into the kiss and Eren responded by throwing his arms over Levi's shoulders and digging his hands through his hair again.

Levi growled into Eren's mouth, and it dawned on him how it affected the painter. He began to slowly massage his scalp with his fingertips, and felt Levi's grip on him tighten. He moved one hand down to grab Eren's ass again, and wrapped the other arm tightly around his waist. Eren pulled at his hair lightly, and let a muffled moan escape as Levi pulled him closer, roughly, making their crotches grind against each other.

Levi felt Eren's barely hidden erection rub against the growing bulge in his own pants and thrust forwards unwillingly. Eren broke the kiss to let a low moan escape his throat and smashed his lips against Levi's again, while pulling harder at his hair.

"For Christ sake, Eren," Levi hissed and made a sudden movement to get up on his feet while holding on tightly to Eren's ass to keep him in place.

Eren responded with another moan as Levi's crotch ground against his own again, and he wrapped his legs around Levi. His black heels fell to the ground, as Eren held onto him tightly while Levi smashed their lips against each other again and invaded his mouth. Levi walked towards the bed with Eren clinging onto him. The painter massaged his butt firmly, while kissing him greedily. Eren could feel the heat run up his spine and made him extremely conscious of how turned on he was. He wrapped his legs tighter around Levi, making their clothed erections grind against each other again.

Levi knelt down on the bed and let himself fall forwards, landing on top of Eren. He let out another low moan as he felt Levi's weight on top of him and he jerked his hips upwards. Levi pressed his crotch down against Eren's, and broke the kiss to trail wet kisses down his neck and collarbone. Eren breathed out sharply and let his head fall back. Levi's lips felt so good against his skin, and his warm tongue made Eren crave more. He moaned out as Levi bit down lightly on the spot between his neck and shoulder, and he grabbed onto his hair again.

Levi bit down a bit harder, as Eren pulled his hair, playing with the tanned skin between his teeth. Something in him wanted to rip the boy's clothes off and have him right then and there, but at the same time, he wanted to kiss every inch of his skin, touch him everywhere and spend the entire night caressing the young body.

Eren let another sound escape his lips as Levi's hand slid up his side. He had never felt anything like this before, the arousal grew in his body, and he needed more. He squirmed under the painter, trying to grind their erections against each other and moved his head from side to side as Levi's mouth moved over his neck. He grabbed onto Levi's shoulders and tried to push him over to his back, wanting to take the lead and get going.

Levi refused to let Eren have his way, and held him down gently with the weight of his own body. He moved lower down Eren's body, kissing his chest and let his tongue ghost over his nipple. Eren moaned again and arched his back off of the mattress. Levi enjoyed every sound he made; it sounded like music in his ears and made the heat grow in his lower stomach. His pants felt uncomfortably tight but all his attention was on Eren. He loved him more than anything, and wanted to do whatever it took to make him feel better than ever.

He kissed the hardening nub and left a wet trail over Eren's chest, to the other nipple. He let his tongue play with it, while Eren began panting and tugging harder at his hair. Oh, if only the boy knew what he was doing to him.

Eren squirmed under him, desperate for more. He wanted Levi, he needed him! He kept his eyes shut tightly and wasn't really aware of the many sounds escaping his lips by now. He could feel Levi trail kisses lower down his body; over his chest, down his stomach and gently caressing his navel. It felt so good, but then it suddenly stopped and he felt Levi's soft locks slip through his fingers. He opened his eyes to look down between his legs, where Levi sat up and looked at him with fiery grey eyes.

"Levi," Eren breathed and got up on his elbows. He could see the desire burn in Levi's otherwise calm eyes.

"Ssh, don't move," Levi whispered and moved his hands slowly up the boy's thigh. Eren let his head fall back again with a low moan, released by the light touch. Levi's fingers felt like they were burning against his skin and sent sparks though his entire body. His dick twitched behind the green bow as he felt the painter's fingertips on his inner-thigh.

Levi leaned down a bit as his fingers reached the edge of the lace-stocking and unbuttoned the locks from the garters. It was hard to see what he was doing in the dark room, but he managed. He lifted Eren's leg and pulled the stocking down slowly, while trailing kisses down his thigh, knee, the calf of his leg, and ankle. Eren tried to keep his breathing under control, but it was hard. He had never really been touched on his legs, which only made them that much more sensitive. Levi's lips moved teasingly slow but Eren could feel his love in every single caress. Levi finished off with a soft kiss on top of Eren's foot, and looked up at the boy's pleasure-filled face.

"God, Eren, why are you so beautiful?" he said lowly and let his hand trail up the leg again as he placed it on the mattress again. He gave the other leg the same treatment, kissing and touching every nook and beauty-spot.

"Levi," Eren moaned as the painter kissed his ankle. When Levi gently let his foot back on the mattress, Eren got up on his knees and crawled on top on Levi, straddling him again. He wrapped his arms around him and kissed him deeply.

Levi could feel Eren's erection twitch against his abdomen and his body heated up fast. He let his hands wander up and down Eren's back, until they found the lock to the garters. He spend a moment trying to unlock it, before it finally obeyed and he tossed it away. He wrapped his arms around Eren again and held him close, while Eren let his hands wander to Levi's hair again. If he had guessed correct, this was what would make Levi go wild. He pulled a bit harder than intended, and Levi broke the kiss with a needy growl, letting his head fall backwards. It took Eren a moment to figure out if he had been too rough, but as he felt Levi's dick twitch through his pants, he got his answer.

Eren used the opportunity to attack Levi's exposed neck and placed wet kisses all the way from his collarbone to his ear. While nibbling at the soft skin, he moved back a bit and let go of the soft locks. He let his hands fall to Levi's crotch and unbuttoned his pants with skilled fingers and let a hand slide inside.

Levi jerked forwards with a gasp and he felt Eren's hand against his dick through his underwear. He grabbed Eren's ass and leaned his head against the boy's shoulder, while Eren let his palm rub against Levi's erection. He let his free hand trail up his arm, feeling the muscles move under the skin as the grip tightened on his ass. He rubbed a little harder, until he felt Levi's hands move from his ass to his hips, tugging lightly at the edge of his panties. Eren leaned back and cupped Levi's face with his free hand, forcing his face up gently and placed a soft kiss on his lips. He locked eyes with the painter as he moved back and got up on his knees. He helped Levi pull his panties down, exposing his erection as the clothes slid off his crotch. He moved to the edge of the bed and got up on his feet to let the panties fall to the floor.

Levi moved to the edge of the bed and swung his legs out to let his feet hit the floor. Eren knelt down and pulled at the edge of Levi's pants, while still keeping the eye-contact. Levi lifted his ass off of the bed and let Eren pull his pants and underwear off along with his socks. The painter sat down again, and Eren looked at Levi's dick in front of him. He felt the urge to touch and taste it, but settled on placing a gentle kiss on each of Levi's inner-thighs before getting up again. No matter how tempting it felt to play with Levi's dick, Eren really needed to have Levi penetrate him soon.

"Stay there," he whispered hoarsely, and walked over to the night-stand. Levi looked after him and enjoyed the view of his ass in the moonlight. He had seen him naked a couple of times by now, but this was different. The previous times Eren had been naked in front of him, was when he was painting him. The last thing he would think about doing now was paint.

Eren took a jar from one of the drawers and returned to the bed with it in his hand. He pulled off the lid and placed both on the bed next to Levi. He spread his legs and straddled him again. Levi welcomed him by letting his hands slide up his thighs and kissing him passionately. Eren moaned into the kiss as his dick ground against Levi's. Levi invaded his mouth again, encouraging Eren's tongue to dance with his own, while he let his hand wander to the boy's crotch and let his thumb run over the base of his cock. Eren moaned again and grabbed Levi's wrist.

"W-wait," he panted and looked into Levi's clouded grey orbs, "Just give me a moment."

He dug his fingers into the jar and covered his fingers with Vaseline and moved the hand to his backside.

"Wait," Levi said hoarsely and stopped Eren, "Let me. I want to make you feel good. Just tell me what to do."

Eren studied him for a moment; he really just wanted to get to it, but at the same time, he needed Levi's touch everywhere. The painter's hands and fingers felt so much better than his own, and he surrendered and moved back a little. He grabbed Levi's right hand and held it out between them. They looked down at it, both still panting, while Eren covered Levi's fingers in the Vaseline from his own hand.

"Y-you just have to..." Eren paused, trying to find the right words, but his head was clouded and it was difficult. He locked eyes with the older man, trying to get the message across without having to put it onto words. He led Levi's hand in between his parted legs and placed his finger-tips against his entrance. "Just -  _ahh,_ " he moaned as Levi began rubbing his fingers against the tight hole.

Levi took it as a sign that he was on the right track, and kept rubbing gently against the entrance. Eren's hands grabbed onto his right arm as he let his head rest against Levi's shoulder. The gentle touch sent shivers down his spine and his dick twitched every time Levi's finger threatened to slip inside.

"Je veux plus," Eren panted and turned his head to place a sloppy kiss on Levi's neck.

"Pardon me?" Levi asked with a heavy voice, and grabbed onto Eren's butt with his free hand.

 _"I want more!"_  Eren moaned and dug his nails into Levi's arm. Levi did as asked and let his index finger slip inside Eren, earning him another moan. Levi could feel Eren's trembling breath next to his ear, and see his shoulders shake in front of him. Eren pulled at Levi's arm, trying to get him to move his finger deeper inside him, but Levi moved painfully slow. Being too eager and accidentally hurting Eren, was the last thing he wanted to do. He could feel the warmth surrounding his finger as it slid in as deep as possible. Eren turned his head and panted against Levi's neck, and his hot breath made Levi's erection twitch.

"Move," Eren panted desperately and Levi let his finger move out slowly, just to move back inside at the same slow pace. Eren felt like he was about to turn mad; he wasn't sure if Levi was tormenting him or if he was just being gentle towards him, but either way it was unbearable. It felt so good, but it wasn't nearly enough. His mind failed to form sentences in English, and he let his hand slide in between his legs and grabbed Levi's hand. He led Levi to use one more finger and after a few slow thrusts, he made him add another one. He gasped against his lover's neck and jerked his hips forward to get Levi to move faster. The movement made his dick to rub against Levi's and the latter felt a shiver run through his body, causing him on crook his fingers a bit. Eren let a loud moan escape his lips as Levi's fingers brushed against his prostate. He couldn't wait anymore, he needed Levi - now!

Eren rose to his knees again and let Levi's fingers slip out of him as he moved in closer. He wrapped his arm around Levi's neck and grabbed his dick with the other hand. Levi hissed at the sudden touch, but responded by grabbing Eren's ass again. Eren placed Levi's erection against his entrance and let it slip inside him slowly. Levi panted harder as he felt the warmth surrounding his dick, and his grip on Eren's ass tightened. Eren let go of his cock as soon as he had swallowed up the tip, and moved his hand to Levi's neck. Thanks to Levi's gentle treatment, it didn't hurt at all and Eren kissed him deeply. Their tongues moved eagerly against each other as Eren let Levi penetrate him, low gasps and moans disappearing into the kiss.

Eren let another loud moan escape as he pushed himself further down, taking in Levi's entire length. He smashed his lips against the painters, who returned the kiss passionately. He let his hand wander to Eren's dick and took a firm grip. Eren gasped when Levi spread the remaining Vaseline over his erection. He dug his nails into Levi's back and jerked his hips forward into Levi's hand. The painter's dick rubbed against his prostate and Eren let his head fall back with a loud gasp.

Levi bit his lip as Eren's warm insides moved around him. He leaned in and kissed Eren's neck, wanting to provoke more moans.

Eren grabbed his hair again and pulled his head back, earning him a hoarse growl. Eren licked Levi's lower lip and Levi pulled him in closer and invaded his mouth. Eren slowly lifted his ass off of Levi's lap, letting his dick slide halfway out and moving back down again. He moaned into the kiss when Levi grabbed his ass and thrust upwards, hitting his sweet spot again. Eren moved up again, slowly picking up his pace. The heat burned in his body and he began to feel light-headed as Levi's tip hit his prostate over and over, pushing him closer to release.

Levi panted hard by the tight feeling around his dick. He placed wet kisses on every part of Eren he could reach, just to distract himself a bit from the burning feeling in his body. Eren was so beautiful and sexy, and completely irresistible. Levi bit down on the spot between his neck and shoulder and sucked on the soft skin. Eren responded with a high-pitched moan and slammed his ass down on Levi's dick. Levi let out a breathy moan and let go of the tanned skin between his teeth.

Eren claimed his mouth and slammed his ass down again. Levi jerked his hips upwards to meet Eren's pace and grabbed his twitching erection again. He wanted to make sure Eren finished first, and hopefully it wouldn't take too long, as Levi felt like he could climax at any given moment. He looked at Eren through half-lidded eyes and Eren returned the glance with glassy green orbs. Levi began stroking Eren's dick, and Eren broke the kiss to let out another loud moan.

" _Haah_  - Levi ne t'arrête pas!  _Ahh_  - J'en veux plus! Je t'aime tellement, je ne veux personne d'autre que toi!  _Hnn_ \- S'il te plait n'arrête pas, s'il te plait n'arrête pas! Tu es fantastique, touche moi! Je t'aime! Je t'aime!" Eren moaned and clung onto Levi. The painter had no idea what he was saying between the delicious moans, but the sweet and needy voice was enough to let him know he should continue. He tightened his grip on Eren's dick and matched the strokes with the pace Eren rode him in. Eren's voice grew as Levi's cock filled him over and over, pushing him closer to the edge with each thrust. As Eren began trembling in Levi's arm, the painter picked up the pace a bit, afraid he would beat him to the line. Eren's hands dug through his hair and pulled his head back. As Levi moaned by the sensation, Eren invaded his mouth and whined against the kiss, begging for Levi to push him over the edge.

Levi tensed up to hold his release back, and gave Eren's dick a few hard strokes before Eren finally broke the kiss, moaning the painter's name out loud and climaxed. He shot his seed into Levi's hand with a few trembling thrusts, and pulled harder at the black locks between his fingers. As he tightened around Levi's dick and pulled his hair hard, the older man thrust up hard and felt the heat explode through the lower part of his stomach. He released into Eren with a few sharp pants and wrapped his arms around his waist. He held the trembling boy close as he filled him up, earning him a few pleased sounds as Eren rode out their orgasms.

Eren went limp in Levi's arms and the painter let his back hit the mattress with Eren on top of him. They were both panting hard, trying to catch their breaths. Eren nuzzled his nose against Levi's neck and he wrapped his arms tighter around the young body in response.

"Je t'aime," Eren whispered softly as his breath slowly returned to normal. Levi turned his head to place a kiss on his forehead, not feeling that words could describe his feelings right now.

Eren lifted his head off of his shoulder to let their lips meet in a lazy kiss. Levi stroked his back gently as their lips moved against each other.

"I love you," the painter whispered as he broke the kiss, and Eren rested his head on his shoulder again, purring lowly.

"You're mine," Eren mumbled and breathed in Levi's smell through his nose. The soft caress of his back and the sound of Levi's calm breathing made him feel like they had melted together. He was so madly in love with Levi, it felt like his heart was about to burst. Right now, he felt like he wouldn't be able to live without him. He pushed his hands underneath the painter's shoulders and held onto him tightly. He never wanted to let go.

"You're mine," Levi whispered back and kissed Eren's temple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, and as always, I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks to my lovely beta's; Baiko, Taboo and LoveAllAnime <3
> 
> The song Eren sings for Levi is 'I put a spell on you'. I think it's an old song, but the version I listened to while writing this, is by Josh Stone. onlooker recommended it, and it just fit in perfectly.
> 
> As usual, comments are greatly appreciated!
> 
> Note: What Eren says in French is roughly translated to; "Levi, don't stop! I want more! I love you so much, I don't ever want anyone but you. Please don't stop, please don't stop! You're amazing, touch me! I love you. I love you!" Just in case anyone wanted to know.


	10. Invisible Chains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After spending the night together, Eren finally gets to wake up next to Levi and wish him a good day before he leaves. After sleeping with Eren, Levi finds himself getting easily upset about things regarding his lover. Meanwhile, Eren has a completely different problem to deal with.

Eren woke up as the sunlight touched his face through the uncovered windows. For once he had managed to sleep through the night without waking up, and he felt well-rested and at peace. He yawned and stretched his body, feeling the soft sheets between his fingers. Then he heard a low breath next to him and turned his head. A warm feeling spread through his body as he saw Levi lying next to him, still asleep. He looked so peaceful with slightly parted lips and his dark bangs spread out over the pillow under his head.

Eren looked at the clock on the night-stand and leaned in to place a soft kiss on the painter's lips. Levi reacted with a low sigh, but didn't move. Eren moved in closer and cuddled up against Levi's naked body. He enjoyed the warmth and Levi wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer, still asleep.

Eren let out a low purr and inhaled Levi's smell, as he placed soft kisses on his face and neck. He felt so safe in Levi's arms, like they lived in their own little world, isolated from everyone else. Feeling Levi's body so close to his own naked skin, bathing in the early sunlight, Eren wanted this moment to last forever.

Levi woke up with a deep grunt, as Eren's hair tickled his nose. He brushed it out of his face gently and squinted his eyes. His eyes fell on Eren, who looked up at him with bright orbs.

"Good morning, Beautiful,"Levi murmured in a hoarse voice, and got up on his elbow to lean over Eren and look at the clock. He let out a displeased sound and dumped back on the mattress, trapping Eren under him. Eren wrapped his arms around him and let Levi kiss him.

"Je t'aime," Eren whispered against the kiss, and couldn't help himself from smiling. He could feel Levi's hand trail up his side, and while it felt really good, he was always a bit ticklish in the morning. He giggled and squirmed as Levi's touch got a bit too light, and made his body react unwillingly.

"God, you're cute," Levi murmured, an adoring smile playing on his lips as he leaned down and kissed Eren again.

"Stop tickling me," Eren giggled, and rolled over to trap his tired lover under him. Levi played along and let the boy dominate for a change, as Eren leaned down and kissed him deeply. "Je t'aime du fond de mon coeur," he whispered lowly, and looked into Levi's grey eyes.

Levi squeezed his butt and placed a light kiss on his nose, before turning over and letting Eren's back land on the mattress again.

"I have to go," the painter mumbled and sent Eren an adoring glance.

"I know," Eren said, and let go of Levi. He moved to the other end of the bed and laid down on his stomach, as he looked after Levi. The older man got out of the bed and wandered around the room butt-naked, collecting his clothes that were spread all over the floor. "I wish you could stay," Eren whispered, more to himself than to Levi.

Levi stopped and looked down at him while pulling on his underwear. He leaned down and placed another soft kiss on Eren's hair; "I promise you, this is only temporary. I still don't understand what keeps you here, but I will find a way to get you out."

Eren closed his eyes with a deep purr as Levi nuzzled his hair. He didn't say anything, and Levi smiled as he returned to get clothed. Eren studied his lover as he pulled on his clothes way too fast for him to enjoy the sight of the naked painter. He got up and wrapped the robe around his body, as Levi pulled on his jacket and straightened his cravat in front of the mirror. The boy wrapped his arms around him from behind and locked eyes with him through the mirror. Levi studied Eren's green orbs peeking over his shoulder, and longed for the day he would get the chance to steal Eren away from the nightclub, and make sure he would enjoy this sight every single morning. He turned around and pulled Eren in for a tight embrace, needing as much physical contact as possible before spending an entire day with his paintings and anxious thoughts.

"I love you," he whispered against Eren's ear, "Don't ever forget that."

"Je t'aime aussi," Eren whispered back as his cheeks turned pink. The tone in Levi's voice when he was about to leave, always sounded sad, as if this was the last time they saw each other. "Will you come back tonight?"

"Of course," Levi said and pulled back to kiss Eren. He turned to walk towards the door, when Eren suddenly remembered something.

"Levi," he called out and grabbed his wrist gently as the painter placed his hand on the door-knob. Eren placed another soft kiss on his lips, and smiled as he said; "Have a good day."

Levi looked at him with a strange expression, but then smiled and returned the kiss.

As the door closed behind the painter, Eren felt himself being pulled right back to reality; the world seemed a little less bright every time Levi left, and today was no exception. He thought about his plans for the day as a bitter-sweet smile settled on his face.

 

* * *

 

It was still early when Levi returned to the apartment. The dust danced in the sunlight from the windows in the silent room, inviting him to immerse in his work before Hanji would wake up. He had gotten used to the light mornings and days, in contrast to the rainy days back in London, but his mind was as dark as the weather in his home-town; clouded by the anxiety of leaving Eren at the nightclub.

He threw his jacket on the sofa and went to the kitchen for a cup of tea. While filling the kettle, he noticed a bottle of whiskey on the counter. He left the kettle in the sink and grabbed the bottle instead.

He took a large sip on his way from the kitchen to the couch, and leaned against the back of the worn-out piece of furniture, while looking at the half-done poster of Eren on the frame. He scratched his chin and neck while thinking of Eren, who was - hopefully - alone in his room right now. He felt powerless to the whole situation; he couldn't control Eren or the force that kept him there, and he wouldn't know if anything happened until he could get back to the dance-club tonight. If Eren was forced to do anything he didn't want to do - Levi wouldn't be able to save him. He took another large sip of the bottle to drown those thoughts. Of course nothing would happen.

He got up again and tried to focus on his work, but memories of last night kept roaming in his mind with a half-painted Eren in front of him; except the memories weren't as pleasurable.

Levi got up on the stool and grabbed his brush to continue on those mesmerizing green eyes in front of him. They were flirtatious and he remembered how Eren used to look at him like that - and at everybody else while on stage. A frown crossed his face and he accidentally pushed the brush too hard against the paper, making the paint drip down over the poster. He cursed under his breath and jumped down to catch the paint with a cloth.

He looked up at Eren's face again. He didn't care about how many men Eren had spend his nights with before he met Levi, but he was anxious about the future. Eren's needy touches and sweet moans were for him only. Sharing him with others was completely out of question. Images of Eren moaning against someone else's ear kept disturbing him in his attempt to work, and he growled lowly as he turned towards the couch again, rubbing his eyes hard to remove the thoughts from his head. He wanted to trust Eren, he had to; if Eren was ever forced to sleep with anyone else, it would be against his will. In the end, it was Levi's responsibility to make sure Eren earned enough money, but he really hoped Eren would do everything in his power too.

Levi leaned against the couch again and took another sip. He tried to forget that he was making a poster of his lover, and moved closer to focus on another part of the painting. Eren was straddling a chair, showing off his inner-thighs and barely clothed crotch. Levi let a finger ghost over the two-dimensional thigh as he felt the urge to cover it up. Even though it was just a painting, he didn't want anyone else to look at Eren's most sensitive parts.

Levi turned away again, not able to bare the look of the love of his life exposed like that. Before he slept with Eren he could cope with the thought of other people watching him on stage, as long as he didn't have to witness all the hungry eyes. Now that he had gotten so close to him and exchanged such loving touches and affectionate kisses, his possessive side had taken over completely. He wanted all of Eren for himself.

Levi pulled off his cravat and brought the bottle to his lips again, not caring about the drops running down his chin as he gulped down a fair amount of whiskey. He had to get Eren out of there. Soon.

"Levi?"

The painter turned around and had to grab onto the back of couch not to trip. He hadn't heard Hanji enter the living-room and she stood in the door-frame with a worried expression.

"What?" Levi snapped and accidentally spit a bit of whiskey on the floor.

Hanji's worried expression increased as she took a step back to avoid being spit on. She looked at him without saying a single word, studying his angry expression as he kept moving his hand through his hair, making it messy and his bangs falling into his eyes.

Levi turned his back to her and gulped down more whiskey. He could feel her piercing glare on his back, but he didn't care. All he cared about was finishing that damn poster and getting money to pay for another night with Eren.

Hanji walked over and pulled the bottle away from him.

"I think you've had enough for now," she said firmly and ignored his protests, "What's wrong?"

"It's none of your business," Levi sneered and tried to take back the bottle, but his drunk mind wasn't fast enough.

"I think it is," Hanji insisted, "You're  _my_ friend, staying at  _my_ place. Tell me what's going on."

Levi took a deep breath and sent her a cold glare. He straightened his clothes and hair before turning towards the painting again.

"Leave me alone, I have work to do," he said lowly, while trying to ignore his lover's exposed body in front of him. It was just a painting.

Hanji frowned at her friends unusual behaviour. She knew she would have to push him to get a reaction. Of course she was curious about his business, but what was more important, she had begun worrying a lot about him. He worked himself way harder than what was healthy and the fact that he spent so much time at La Maison des Chats made her think that something was definitely up. She let a smirk settle on her face as she slowly moved closer and looked over Levi's shoulder. She could sense how her presence annoyed him, but he didn't say anything.

"It's a nice painting," Hanji said and moved to Levi's other side, "Eren has a gorgeous body, don't you think?"

"Leave me alone," Levi mumbled and refused to look at her, but his brush had stopped moving.

"You can understand why he's so popular, right?" Hanji continued and moved closer to the poster, "I mean, look at those hips. He really knows how to use them."

"Stop it," Levi sneered and tightened his grip on the brush.

"He's practically begging to be fucked when he's on stage -"

"I said stop it!" Levi snapped again and tore his hand through the poster. He looked at her with burning eyes as he ripped the paper and let Eren's painted body pool on the floor. Hours of hard work was wasted, but Levi didn't care. His anger made the alcohol run though his veins faster, and he felt his stomach turn; whether is was because of the whiskey or Hanji's words, he wasn't really sure. He glared at her, but it was impossible to read her mind. He stepped to the side to keep his balance but hit the stool and almost tripped. Hanji grabbed his arm and pulled him back up before sending him another worried look.

"Come on, Levi, you can't work like that," she said and took the brush from his hand.

"I have to," he said and tried to remove her hand from his arm.

"No, you're drunk. Get some rest," Hanji insisted and led him towards the bedroom.

Levi knew she was right, but it was more important to get the poster done and collect his money from Erwin. He was running out of cash and he didn't dare to let Eren spend one single night without him.

"Leave me alone, woman, I have to make money!" he hissed and tried to shake her off of him.

"Stop being so stubborn!" Hanji raised her voice a bit and sent him another firm look, "I'll give you money to pay for Eren until you've finished the next poster,  _if_  you go get some rest now. Are we clear?"

Levi frowned at her, but didn't protest. He let her drag him to the bedroom and dumped down on the bed as she pulled off his shoes.

"You know, you have to tell me what's going on at some point," Hanji mumbled, not sure if Levi heard her or if he was already asleep.

 

* * *

 

Eren sat on the edge of his bed, waiting for Erwin to pick him up. He knew he should be focusing on whether he had remembered to pack everything in the basket, since he didn't want to forget anything. Yet, all he could think about was Levi's words this morning;  _'I promise you, this is only temporary - I will find a way to get you out.'_

The words filled his body with a warm feeling, even though he knew it would never happen. Levi couldn't do anything to save him. Levi's affection made him feel so loved, and that itself was more than he had ever hoped to experience. This  _was_ only temporary, but deep down, Eren knew it wouldn't end as Levi wanted it to. He would have to leave one day, and Eren would have to stay for the rest of his life, or until Erwin - unlikely - decided to let him go. He would enjoy this time as long as it lasted, bath in Levi's love and affection, and then think back at it for the remaining time of his life, remembering that someone as wonderful as Levi found it in his heart to actually love him.

His chain of thoughts were cut off, as the door to his room was opened abruptly. Eren looked up to see Erwin standing at the door.

"Are you ready?" the blonde asked, his voice completely expressionless.

"Yes," Eren answered obediently, and got up from the bed. He moved to the table to collect his stage-costume and a large basket, before he turned towards Erwin again. "Do you want me to go to the wardrobe and return the costume first?"

"No, leave it at my office. I'll take care of it," Erwin answered and turned to the hallway, expecting Eren to follow him. Eren ran after him and closed the door behind him. Gunther was awake for a change, and Eren wondered how he always managed to wake up just before Erwin came by.

He followed Erwin down the hallways, without exchanging another word with his boss. Erwin didn't spare him a single glance, and didn't care to look back and see if Eren was still with him. He knew Eren would never dare to run away.

Eren followed him down to a very familiar dark hallway behind the scene, and stopped a few metres behind the blonde, as they reached the door to Erwin's office. Erwin unlocked the door and let Eren inside, still without speaking a single word. Eren hugged the basket tightly, as he moved past Erwin and stopped in the middle of the room. He stared at the floor as Erwin closed the heavy wooden door and locked it to make sure no one would enter. He went behind his desk and pulled the curtains, and turned on an oil-lamp on the desk. Eren dared to look up at him, noticing that he took his time to make sure they were completely hidden from curious eyes outside.

"Chasseuse," Erwin said lowly and sat down on his chair. Eren bit his lip at the mentioning of his stage-name. "Your hair is getting long."

"Yes, Monsieur," Eren said and looked down again, waiting for Erwin to continue.

"Don't cut it. You look more feminine like this," Erwin ordered and leaned down to grab something from under his desk. Eren heard the familiar sound of metal scraping against each other, and Erwin threw a key-chain at him. Eren grabbed it, while trying not to drop the basket and looked down at the two shiny keys in his hand, held together with a metal-ring.

"Get going. You can stay down there till I'm done with the paperworks," Erwin said and turned in his chair and grabbed a stack of paper from the edge of the desk.

Eren didn't answer, but placed the basket on the floor and got down on his knees. He rolled the heavy carpet in front of Erwin's desk aside, making sure not to make too much noise. Under the carpet was a trapdoor, and Eren put in the first key to unlock it. He opened it and looked down into complete darkness. Grateful for his feline-eyes, he squinted a bit, until his eyes had adjusted to the darkness and he located the ladder on the side. He placed the keys in the pocket of his pants carefully, to make sure they wouldn't fall out on his way down.

He grabbed the basket and sent Erwin one last unreturned look, before climbing down slowly. It wasn't easy moving down the ladder with the basked under his arm; he had to be careful not to pull too hard, since it was old and already missing a few steps. Even with his special eyes, it was hard to make out his surroundings.

As he finally felt the cold stone-floor under his feet, he let go of the ladder and turned around. He grabbed the basket tighter, and used his free hand to feel the stone-wall next to him, fumbling his way ahead. As he reached another heavy wooden door, he pulled the keys out of his pocket and bent down to locate the lock. As he opened the door, he was finally met with a bit of light and he stepped inside.

"Eren?" a familiar and hoarse voice called out.

"Mikasa!" Eren cried and let the basket dump to the ground as he ran towards the light and his sister. He fell to his knees and threw his arms around her slender frame. She was sitting on a mattress on the floor with blankets wrapped around her body, but Eren noticed how cold she was. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," she said, while returning the hug.

Eren hugged her tighter, but had to let go as she began coughing violently.

"How is your cold doing?" he asked worried, and stroked her back, hoping to give her some sort of comfort.

"It's hardly a cold any more," she answered in between her coughs, and spit into a metal-bowl next to the thin mattress under them.

"No, don't say that," Eren said and grabbed her hand. Chills ran though his body as he again noticed how cold she was. "It's just a cold, you will get better soon. I bought you medicine."

Her dark eyes shone in the dim light from the candle on the night-stand, as she offered her brother a warm smile. She knew he was just trying to comfort them both, but it  _was_  worse than a cold. She had felt feverish for almost a week now and it only seemed to get worse.

Eren stroked her hair and got up from the mattress. He brought back the basket and placed it in front of her. It hurt him to see his sister like this, but he tried to send her a happy smile, wanting them to enjoy their time together. Eren removed the lid from the basked and reached down, while still smiling at Mikasa.

"Here," he handed over a bottle with dark liquid, "Cough-medicine. Don't drink too much at a time, the man who sold it to me, said that it can make your illness even worse."

Mikasa nodded and accepted the bottle. She held it out next to the candle to study the liquid and look for a label, but there was none. She removed the plug and took a sip, making her couch again but it sounded like it loosened her throat a bit. Eren took the bottle from her hand before she dropped it, and placed it on the night-stand next to the candle.

"I..." he started, but was cut off by another series of violent coughs from Mikasa and he watched her with a worried expression as she spat into the bowl again. "I also bought you more oil for the lamp. And candles." He dug into the basket again and pulled out a few bottles of yellowish liquid and a handful of candles. "Do you want me to fill the lamp and turn it on?"

"Yes, please," she said and cleared her throat, while wrapping the blankets tighter around her body.

Eren got up from the mattress and searched for the oil-lamp he had bought her many years ago. He found it in the corner of the room after Mikasa pointed it out. He brought it back to the bed and placed it on the night-stand while grabbing one of the bottles and filled it with the oil, making sure not to spill a single drop. He reached down the basket again and grabbed a box of matches, which he used to turn on the lamp. Eren smiled as the flame illuminated the room, and Mikasa's pale face was lit up by the flame.

"You don't look well," he stated as he saw her glassy eyes and white lips under the heavy black hair.

"No, it's getting worse. I've had a fever for almost a week now, and my head feels like it's about to explode," Mikasa said and looked down, while rubbing her sore eyes.

"I will get you some more medicine!" Eren cried and grabbed her hand again, "I-I'll ask Monsieur Erwin to let me bring it to you right away, so you don't have to wait until next week. Maybe I can convince him to bring it to you himself if he won't allow me to!"

"No, the cough-medicine is fine," she said, trying to calm him down, "Don't worry about me."

Eren looked at her with desperate eyes. They weren't blood-related, but Eren loved her like a sister. She was his only family and he was so afraid of losing her.

"How can I not worry?" he mumbled and squeezed her hand, "I can see you are suffering."

"Eren," Mikasa said firmly and silenced him with a hard look, "You are the one exposed to Erwin's slavery. You shouldn't worry about me."

Silence filled the room, only broken by the low crackle from the oil-lamp. Eren wanted to save Mikasa just as much as she wanted to save him. When he first came here, Eren had fought like a beast to make Erwin let Mikasa go, but it was no use. Erwin had placed Gunther in front of his room to make sure he had Eren under control, and by now he had settled on his fate; at least then Erwin wouldn't do anything worse than to keep Mikasa locked in the basement under his office, though that was bad enough itself.

Mikasa knew what Eren had to go through every day to keep her alive, and even though he at least had a warm bed to sleep in and proper meals, she also knew the downside with him being forced to sleep with various men and make money for Erwin. She had promised to break out one day, and they would run away together and live just like they lived together through their childhood. It just seemed so hopeless after four years in captivity.

"So," Mikasa said kindly and leaned in to place her head on Eren's shoulder, "What else did you bring me?"

Eren understood that she was trying to lighten the mood and he placed a soft kiss on her hair. It was hard to ignore the pinching feeling in his heart whenever he got to visit her, but just like her, he wanted to enjoy their time together. If he could get Mikasa to forget their horrible situation for just a short time, they could pretend they were still free, poor and happy, living on the streets, just the two of them.

Eren reached down the basket again and presented different kinds of food which didn't need preparation. She took a bread he brought to her, and broke off a bit to chew on, even though she didn't really have any appetite due to her illness. Eren looked down at her with a caring smile, glad to see her eating.

"And," Eren said, ready to present his last gift for Mikasa, "I bought you this." He pulled out a folded piece of wine-red fabric from the bottom of the basket and held it out in front of his sister.

"What is it?" she asked curiously and placed the bread on the night-stand.

"It's a scarf," Eren answered with a nervous smile and unfolded it, "I... I saw it in a shop when I was outside yesterday and I just thought about you. Do you like it?"

"I like everything from you," she smiled as her eyes wandered over the dark fabric between Eren's hands, "It's very beautiful."

"And warm!" Eren added and began wrapping it around her neck awkwardly. When he was done, it covered her mouth and most of her hair, and she let out a sweet laugh as she pulled it down a bit to pool around her neck.

"Thank you, Eren," she said and leaned in to hug him again. He held onto her, trying to exchange a bit of body-heat. He pushed the basked aside with his foot and leaned back against the wall, while Mikasa cuddled up against him, just like they used to do when they were younger. She placed a cold hand on his stomach and began caressing it gently, and Eren began purring lowly.

"How could you afford all of this?" Mikasa asked after a few moments in comfortable silence, "It must have cost you a fortune."

"I, ehh..." Eren said, and paused, wondering if and how he should tell Mikasa about Levi. There was no reason to hide it from her, but she was very protective and there were details from last night which he believed would be wise not to share with her.

"You didn't steal it, did you?" Mikasa lifted her head off of Eren's shoulder to look at him with a reproachful expression.

"No!" Eren assured her, "No, it's nothing like that. I've had someone stay with me every night for the past week. He paid me 80 francs each night."

"A client?" Mikasa asked, as a disgusted expression settled on her face, "You don't have to take more clients that necessary, just because -"

"It's not like that!" Eren cut her off and looked down as his cheeks turned slightly pink in the dim light of the lamp. He continued in a low tone; "I love him. And he loves me. He paid to spend time with me every night, and he doesn't expect me to sleep with him. He really loves me, Mikasa."

Mikasa's glance softened a bit, but she didn't say anything.

"He's a painter," Eren continued and looked at his sister nervously, "from London. He works for Monsieur Erwin, but only to make money to pay for me. His name is Levi."

"Is he treating you properly?" Mikasa asked lowly, still holding the eye-contact.

"He is. I am the one being unfair and selfish towards him," Eren said and looked down at his hands in his lap. He sighed. "He keeps telling me that he will get me out of here, but I haven't told him anything about all this. If he knew about Erwin keeping you here, he would understand why I can't leave, and he would probably know it's impossible. It just..." Eren trailed off as the guilt took a grip on his heart, and he took a shaky breath before continuing. Mikasa grabbed his hand. "It just feels so good to be loved like this. And I love him, I love him so much, Mikasa. I can't stop thinking about him during the rehearsals, and I feel guilty because I should be thinking about you instead, but I really can't get him out of my head."

"You're in love," Mikasa stated and sent her brother a caring smile. She was willing to do everything for Eren, and knowing that someone made him feel like this and adored him as much as it sounded like Levi did, made her happy.

"I-I am," Eren agreed and blushed further, "But I'm still being selfish. I don't want to see him get hurt, but once he realizes that I can't go back to London with him, I'm afraid his heart will break. I'm keeping this a secret, just to have him love me for as long as possible, because  _I_ like the feeling of it. I'm a horrible person."

Eren hid his face in his free hand as Mikasa squeezed his other hand. It was so wrong of him to lead Levi behind the lights, just to enjoy his gentle touches and adoring glances. As he couldn't see any chance of a happy ending with both Levi and Mikasa by his side, Eren just wished it could stay like this forever, with Levi paying to spend every night with him, and Mikasa and himself being trapped in this indecent situation, but at least he would have both of them. He didn't want to ever lose Levi, but a life without Mikasa would be like giving up a part of himself. She had been all he ever had, until he met Levi. He was torn between the only two people he had ever loved, and he couldn't have both.

"You're not a bad person, Eren," Mikasa said lowly and wrapped her blanket around them both, "It's not selfish to want to be with the one you love."

"It's selfish to keep secrets from him to make sure he keeps loving me," Eren cut her off, not wanting to allow himself to find comfort in her words. He didn't deserve to.

"Eren," Mikasa said and sent him another firm glance, to make him shut up while she was talking, "You are  _not_  a bad person. You are my only family, and you deserve to be loved by someone who can always stay by your side. I don't want you to be Erwin's slave any more, I want you to get out of here. Next time Levi asks you to leave with him, I want you to accept it."

"What are you saying?" Eren asked in a hoarse whisper, while his eyes widened.

"I promised you I would get you out of here one day," Mikasa repeated, and grabbed Eren's hands, "I don't think I can keep that promise any more. It is not just a cold, Eren, it is something much worse. It feels like my body is giving up, and no matter how much medicine you buy for me, I will never be able to recover as long as I am down here."

"Don't ask me to do this," Eren whispered and tightened his grip on her hand.

"I  _am_  asking you," Mikasa said, her glassy dark eyes shining in the light of the lamp, "This is not a life for any of us."

"He will kill you!" Eren yelled and let go of her hands, "I don't care what you say, I will never leave this place without you!"

"Eren -"

"Stop! Please stop, I could never leave you, Mikasa," Eren begged as tears formed in his eyes, "You saved me when I was abandoned, you took care of me when you didn't even have enough food for yourself. Y-you are my  _family!"_

"I want you to be happy!" Mikasa yelled to stop Eren from upsetting himself further, "You are the only thing I care about. You are my brother."

"And you are my sister, and I should be the one protecting you!" Eren cut her off again, with fury raging in his eyes, "I will protect you, right now I'm protecting you from getting killed by a gruesome man who tricked us into being here. And I will keep on protecting you until we can leave this place - together."

Mikasa closed her mouth and her face turned expressionless as she studied Eren's stubborn eyes. She had tried her best to convince him to leave. It really didn't feel like whatever she was suffering from, was something she would recover from. She was afraid that if she died down in the basement, Erwin would find another way to make Eren stay. Or he would simply stay willingly, because it would seem like the best opportunity to him. If he left now with the painter, he could have a decent life with someone who loved him; she didn't care if she had to sacrifice her life for her brother, she would happily face her death for his sake.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Eren whispered and looked down, embarrassed about his outburst. He had looked forward to see Mikasa, and this wasn't how it was supposed to be. They should enjoy their small amount of time together, not fight. They were both so stubborn, they should know they would never agree on such matter.

"I'm sorry too," Mikasa said and leaned in to hug Eren again. Eren was about to wrap his arms around her and return the hug, when she began coughing again and placed a hand on her forehead to keep her headache under control. Eren handed her the bowl and she spat in it again, noticing how dark her spit had turned.

"I hope the medicine works," Eren said and placed the bowl on the floor again, "I will get you more as soon as I can. Don't you dare die on me."

Mikasa finally smiled again at her brother's insisting look. She remembered how he had always been like this; he could be sweet and gentle, but when it came to protecting her, he would get that serious look in his eyes, and his deep-felt fighting spirit would shine through. It had always been those two together against the rest of the world, and it seemed like it would never stop.

"Okay," she said and stroked his cheek, trying to soften up his expression and make him smile again. Eren responded with an unwilling purr and looked down in embarrassment, annoyed by his cat-reflexes. "You still can't control it?" Mikasa smiled as the deep sound escaped his throat over and over again when she touched his skin.

"No," Eren pouted and let his sister wrap her arms around him again. He laid down with his head on her lap, and let her stroke his hair as he began relaxing again.

"I love you, Eren," Mikasa hummed after a few moments where only the sound of Eren's purr could be heard in the dark basement.

"I love you too, Mikasa," Eren said and turned to his back to look up at her pale face.

"Thank you for giving me this scarf," Mikasa whispered and removed the brown bangs from Eren's forehead.

"Thank you for giving me a reason to live," Eren said and reached up to caress her cheek, "You know that I will do anything for you, right? I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you."

She turned her head in his hand and placed a soft kiss on his palm. He cuddled up against her and they stayed like that until they could hear footsteps in the dark hallway. It lit up as Erwin appeared at the door-frame. Eren ignored him for a moment, wanting to stay just a little bit longer, but Mikasa moved her hand from his forehead and wrapped the blanket closer around her body.

"Chasseuse," Erwin said impatiently and sent the two siblings a cold glance.

"You have to go," Mikasa whispered in a sad tone, "I will miss you."

"I will miss you too," Eren whispered back and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, "Take care of yourself, and remember to take your medicine."

He got up from the thin mattress and grabbed the basket. He sent Mikasa one last sad look as he turned around and walked towards Erwin.

"Keys," the blonde ordered and held his hand out. Eren placed the two keys in his hand and walked out the door. He waited for Erwin to close and lock the heavy door to Mikasa's prison, and followed him down the cold hallway to the ladder. Erwin climbed it and let Eren follow him before slamming the trapdoor and locking it as well. Eren rolled the carpet back to hide the passage to his sister, and turned towards Erwin as he sat back down behind his desk.

"You can go now," Erwin said without sparing him a look.

"Monsieur Erwin," Eren said lowly and took a step towards the desk, "Mikasa is very sick. Won't you please help her?"

Erwin leaned in over the desk and locked eyes with Eren; "I think it is  _your_ responsibility to take care of her," he said calmly.

Eren felt the anger rise in his chest, but he had to keep himself under control. He couldn't fight Erwin and it would be best for both him and Mikasa if he didn't act up.

"I-I'm worried about her," Eren insisted and took another step closer to Erwin's desk.

"You make your own money, don't you? Go buy her some medicine then," Erwin said smugly and leaned back in his seat with a satisfied expression, "Or get the painter to do it for you. It seems like he is willing to do almost everything to give you what you want."

Eren hesitated for a moment.

"If I do, will you let me bring it to her before next Saturday? I don't think she can wait a week to get treatment," Eren said and looked down at the basket in his hands.

"That depends on your performances the next couple of days," Erwin answered and studied Eren's face. No matter how much Eren tried to hide it, it was obvious he was angry. Erwin let an amused smile play on his lips. "Go now. And remember to keep this a secret. You don't want anything to happen to your sister, do you?"

Eren bit his lip and turned to unlock the door and leave his boss' office.


	11. Breakdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is slowly burning his bridges without realizing, and Eren gets cornered up by Erwin, Annie and Ymir. After a long day, both of them just need to take their minds off things with each other’s company, but even that might be too much to ask for.

Around the evening, Hanji looked at her watch and took a sip of rum. She had attended some business at her ship earlier, but all in all it had been a very peaceful day. Levi had been asleep the entire time she had been gone, and she was wondering whether or not to wake him up. She was still shaken by his behavior that morning; he had never acted like that in front of her, and she didn't like it at all. Whatever was going on, was unhealthy for him. Levi was one of her oldest and dearest friends, and she knew his romantic heart was sensitive. He seemed so cold and closed off, but that façade hid a very beautiful and emotional soul. Hanji wondered if it had been a mistake to bring him to Paris, but there was no way to undo it now. She had to find out what was going on, and do whatever she could to help him.

Hanji got up from the old couch and went to the bedroom. She opened the door silently, checking if Levi was still asleep. He was snoring lightly, and desperately hugging a pillow with a pained expression on his face.

She sighed and moved closer. She sat down on the edge of the bed and removed the hair from his face.

"Levi," she called quietly, trying to wake him up gently.

"Don't touch him," Levi mumbled and tightened the grip on the pillow. Hanji studied him for a moment, as her worries grew. There was no doubt about who he was dreaming of.

"Levi," she said again, a bit more firmly this time. She shook his shoulder gently and tried to pull the pillow away from him. "It's time to get up!"

Levi woke up with a gasp and sat up. He looked confused and messy. When his eyes fell on Hanji, he let his body dump back onto the mattress again.

"What do you want?" he asked and hid his head under the pillow. He was still too tired to fully realize what had happened earlier, but something in him told him it was better to be asleep. Whatever was going on, sleep was always the best way to hide, and he knew he felt like hiding right now.

"You've slept through most of the day. I know you haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately, but you should get up now," Hanji said. There was no sign of the usual cheerfulness in her voice.

Levi shot up from behind the pillow again. "What time is it?" he asked with wide eyes.

"6.30," Hanji answered while looking at her watch.

"Bloody hell," Levi hissed and jumped out of the bed. He pulled off his shirt and rummaged through the drawer to find a clean one to replace it.

"Levi, sit down," Hanji said without taking her eyes off her friend.

"No, I have to work," Levi mumbled while buttoning his shirt and trying to get his hair under control.

"Levi, would you please sit down!" Hanji raised her voice and stood up. Levi froze for a moment, shocked by her sudden outburst. "What's happening to you?" she asked, as she finally caught his attention.

"Nothing," Levi said and straightened his back. He focused on keeping his voice calm and his expression cold. He didn't want to involve her in this, it was unnecessary. He had everything under control - he just had to work a bit harder now that he had ruined the poster of Eren. He still had a few hours to work before he should head for the nightclub.

"Levi, I'm worried about you. You look like a mess, and your behavior this morning was really unlike you," Hanji insisted, not wanting to let him avoid her questions any more, "I'm not an idiot, Levi. Something is going on with you and Eren."

Levi studied her for a moment. No, he definitely wasn't ready to involve her yet. When he finally found a way to get Eren out, he wouldn't mind telling her to get them both back to London. But right now, he saw no reason to let her in on anything.

"It's none of your business," he said coldly and turned his back to her, as he moved to the living-room.

Hanji followed him, trying to find a way to handle the situation. "Levi, whatever you're doing, you have got to stop it! Have you looked at yourself lately?" she asked, desperate for him to take her seriously.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" Levi snapped as he turned to face her again, "You know nothing of what's going on!"

"That's why I'm asking you to talk to me!" Hanji yelled back, more frustrated than angry, "You obviously can't handle this by yourself!"

"Of course I can, I -"

"Levi, I'm worried about you!" Hanji cut him off, not wanting to hear any more excuses. A frown settled on her face and she continued before he could answer her; "I've known you for 10 years, and I know that this is not you! I care about you so much, you're like a brother to me. How can you do this to yourself? I know Eren is adorable, but it's obviously unhealthy for you to be around him so much!"

"Don't talk about him like that!" Levi yelled and sent her a furious glare.

"Open your eyes, Levi, he's a hooker!" Hanji yelled back, finally letting her anger show, "You're wasting your time on the wrong people! You're wasting your talent and your life in that whore house!"

"As far as I can remember, you were the one who introduced me to that  _whore house,_ and arranged for me to work for Erwin!" Levi snapped back. She was pushing it, and he was not in the mood for this conversation.

"I sure as hell didn't tell you to forget everything about your goal in favor of a used, lewd -"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!"

"- whore!" Hanji yelled, her glasses had slid down her nose and her eyes were burning with anger.

"Shut your filthy mouth, woman! You have no idea what's going on!"

"That's why I told you to tell me about it!"

"And I said, it is none of your business!" Levi roared and slammed his fist against the back of the couch.

Hanji shut her mouth and studied his furious glare. She sent him a cold look and turned away. Levi took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down before turning his attention towards his work. He couldn't waste time on this, he had to keep on painting.

"Just so you know -" she said and sat back down on the couch, while Levi prepared for a new poster, "- we're going back to London when you're done with the posters. So don't take any other jobs here."

Levi turned around and looked at her as his eyes widened. She ignored him as he stared at the back of her head. His heart was pounding and his head was a mess. He knew she only tried to provoke him, but she definitely had the upper-hand here. Right now, he depended on her, no matter how much he tried to deny it. He refused to leave Paris until he could take Eren with him, yet who knew how long that would take? But he couldn't leave now, certainly not after recent events. He couldn't bring himself to leave without Eren.

"Do what you want," he said with a dark voice, and turned to his work again. She could force him out of the apartment, but not out of Paris.

Hanji didn't speak another word to Levi that night, and Levi accepted the silence, thinking it was easier to work without her constant yapping. She left to watch the show without saying goodbye, but as soon as she closed the door behind her, Levi felt a pinch of guilt in his chest. They would often fight about little things; their friendship was similar to a relationship between siblings - of course they would fight, but never about anything serious. No fight should be allowed to wound their friendship, and it felt wrong for her to leave like that. She knew how much she meant to him, even though he had never been good at showing her. She knew he never kept friends he didn't care for, and he never wasted time on people he didn't like. And yet, he had managed to make her act that cold.

Levi put down his paint-brush and went to the kitchen. He rummaged through the cabinets, looking for the bottle of whiskey she had taken away from him earlier. He needed to calm his nerves, and his body itched for the bitter alcohol. Of course Hanji was worried about him - he had changed. He could see it himself, so of course she had noticed it too.

He found the bottle hidden behind a pot in the back of a cabinet, and went back to the living-room while taking a sip. It made him relax a bit, but his head was still a mess.

Hanji was probably one of the only people he could talk to about all of this, but he really didn't want to. Maybe he just wasn't ready to admit he was in love with a prostitute. He refused to look at Eren that way, but when it came down to it, Eren used to earn his money by sleeping with whoever paid him, and the only reason he didn't do so now, was because Levi paid him not to. The thought of Eren's past made Levi's chest hurt. He plopped down on the couch and took another sip of the whiskey, trying to remove the images of his lover with other faceless men from his thoughts.

He looked over the back of the couch at the - far from finished - poster. He wanted to make Eren look more decent this time, but it had to match Erwin's request. He still had a few posters left until his contract with Erwin was completed, and he would without any doubt earn that bonus he had promised him. Would it be too bold to ask for Eren's freedom instead?

Levi took another sip and felt his shoulders relax and his breathing slow down. Everything was okay, he just had to come up with a plan. He should talk to Erwin and ask him to let Eren leave. As soon as the poster was finished, he would ask for a meeting with him. But he felt restless and not in the mood to paint - and especially not in the mood to look at the love of his life exposed like he had to be on the poster. There was such a great difference between the way Eren was exposed when he was on stage, and the way he was naked when it was just the two of them; when he performed, it seemed vulgar and dirty, no matter how beautiful he was, but when they were alone... in their own little world, Eren was gorgeous and mesmerizing and would resemble every piece of beauty at once. It was hard to understand that it was the same boy.

Levi got up from the couch and went back into the bedroom to look for his wallet. He had to know how much money he had left, how many nights before the next poster would have to be finished.

Of course he would prefer to go back to London with Hanji when that time came, but if she was serious about leaving as soon as his work for Erwin was done, he should probably look for an apartment soon. He had a bad feeling that it would take more than a meeting with Erwin, to get Eren out of there.

As he finally located his wallet, he noticed how it felt thicker than what he recalled. He opened it and saw it was filled with banknotes and searched his memory to remember where that money came from. Then he noticed a piece of paper between the other bills in the wallet and pulled it out.

_'I will keep my word. This should be enough to pay for Eren until the poster is done - Hanji'_

Levi felt another pinch of guilt, as he closed his wallet and placed it in his pocket. There was enough money to give him four days to work on the poster, if not more. This meant he could take it easy tonight and visit Eren as soon as the show was over. He didn't feel like working at all, and he had a great urge to see Eren. He wasn't sure what was happening to him, but he needed Eren to sooth his pained mind and make him forget about everything. He needed to hold him close and remind himself that Eren belonged to him and that everything would be okay. He was willing to fight until the end for his lover. No one should ever touch Eren again.

Levi grabbed his jacket and decided to go for a walk until it was time to visit Eren. He hadn't seen much of Paris since he arrived, and tonight seemed to be a good night to explore the neighborhood. Maybe he would find a place to sit and drink a glass of red wine or maybe he would just look for cheap apartments close to La Maison des Chats. Just to be on the safe side.

 

* * *

 

As the curtain finally closed after Eren's performance, he let his ears and tail disappear while letting a loud sigh escape his lips. His performance had been terrible that night; he had trouble ignoring his worries about Mikasa, and he felt bad about singing _'I put a spell on you'_  on stage, when he felt like that song meant something special to him and Levi. Maybe he was the only one that felt that way, but the song reminded him of their lovemaking the previous night and it didn't really help him focus. He began collecting the tips from his stockings and wherever the guests had placed banknotes, and hid them in his underwear.

Eren went behind the stage to make space for Sasha, who sent him a bright smile and a  _'nice job'_  as they passed each other. It was sweet of her, but it was a lie; he hadn't earned much money, and he was sure Erwin would yell at him as soon as he had announced Sasha on stage.

Just as he thought; Erwin walked behind the stage as soon as Sasha's performance had started, obviously looking for him. Erwin's eyes wandered over the dancers, until they found Eren who didn't even care to try and hide. The blonde walked over and extended his hand, waiting for Eren to hand over his tips. Eren dug into his panties and retrieved the small roll of banknotes. He handed them over without saying a word.

"Did you think I would be satisfied with this?" Erwin asked coldly and looked down at the dancer with sharp eyes.

"Je suis désolé, Monsieur," Eren mumbled and avoided his eyes.

"Sorry is not going to earn me money," Erwin responded and leaned in closer to Eren. "I thought you wanted to help your sister, but judging from your lousy performance, it seems like you don't actually want her to get better," he whispered barely loud enough for Eren to hear him. The boy's cheeks turned pink as the anger began to boil in him again. He wanted nothing more than to save Mikasa. "Planning to let her rot up in the basement and run away?" Erwin whispered and straightened his back to look down at Eren again. Eren felt the urge to let his claws out and scratch and bite Erwin's tyrannical face until someone dared pulling him away, but that wouldn't exactly make the situation better for either himself, nor Mikasa.

"I-it's the song!" Eren said desperately, hoping Erwin would buy his excuse, "It's too hard to work with, I need something where I can move properly while singing!"

Erwin studied him with an amused expression. Eren hated the way Erwin looked down on him; the way he found his frustrations entertaining. The more Eren would beg and plead the happier Monsieur Erwin would get. It was infuriating, the cocky smile the devilish man would wear while Eren tried to barter with him, knowing that no matter what, he had the young were-cat in his dreadful hands. That heartless man.

"It's the song, huh?" Erwin mimicked as a smirk settled on his face. He called Annie and Ymir over, and they placed themselves on each side of Erwin, while sending him admiring glances. Eren studied them all in silence. He didn't like where this was going. "I guess you're in luck then, Chasseuse. Annie and Ymir came to my office earlier, with a proposal of the three of you performing together," Erwin said and looked down at Eren again, "You can start working on it tomorrow."

"Why?" Eren asked, not able to hide that he was suspicious by the fact that Annie and Ymir had asked to work with him. They couldn't stand each other.

"You can call it an experiment," Erwin said smugly, and wrapped an arm around each girl, "It was Annie's idea actually. She thought the three of you might be able to deliver quite a show, and since you're apparently having trouble performing alone, I think we should try it out."

"O-okay," Eren said, still feeling confused. He looked at the three in front of him, feeling cornered up, but it wasn't like he ever had anything to say around there.

"I'm sure the painter will enjoy the show too," Annie said and sent Eren a poisonous smile before squirming out of Erwin's grip and dragging Ymir away. They giggled and looked back over their shoulders.

Eren blushed from anger again, but tried to pretend he hadn't heard her last comment. He could feel Erwin's eyes on him, studying him thoroughly, before turning away without another word. Eren felt completely powerless; it was one thing that Annie teased him about Levi and wanted to steal him, but dropping a line like that in front of Erwin - that was just pure evil. It really was over now. Erwin might be pleased with the money Eren earned, but if he figured out what was going on between them - that they were in love and Levi planned on taking Eren with him - Eren couldn't imagine any good outcome. Erwin always had Eren right where he wanted him, and Eren was too afraid of what would happen to Mikasa, to ever disobey.

He bit his lip and ran to the wardrobe to get out of his costume. The lacey fabric had suddenly become too tight and he couldn't breathe. His hands were shaking from fury and it was hard to be gentle with the fragile material. He threw the corset on the floor and stomped over to the mirror in the make-up corner to grab his robe. He looked at his face in the mirror and tried to wipe the make-up off. He hated it here. He hated everything and everybody. Maybe it was fun to sing and dance, but not under these circumstances. Not when he would get punished for not earning enough money. He hated Erwin so much for putting him in this situation, and he hated Annie for giving him such a hard time. Why did she even want to work with him? She had probably set up a performance where he would be humiliated and exposed. And saying that Levi would enjoy the show, angered Eren even more. The worst part was, that Erwin didn't even seem surprised by her comment.

Eren let out a frustrated groan and ignored the looks he got from the other girls in the room. He needed to be alone to figure out what to do. He had to find a way to solve this, before Erwin would make his life even harder, but he was too hot-headed right now; he had to get to his room and cool down on the balcony.

He left the wardrobe and ran through the hallways, making sure to keep the robe in place, should he meet someone. He really wished he wouldn't, through. As he reached the first floor he slowed down and walked the last distance, hoping that Gunther was asleep and he could get into his room without waking him up. He was in luck, as the guard was sitting on his post, snoring heavily as usual, and Eren managed to open the heavy wooden door without making it squeak. He closed it silently and sighed as he leaned against the back of the door. His room was dark and chilly, just like he preferred it. But a low sound indicated that he wasn't alone.

He looked through the dark. He had his guard up, ready to defend himself, should it be necessary. As he realized who the intruder was, he felt a slight warmth reach his heart, and ran towards the bed.

Levi got up from the edge, getting ready to welcome the boy with a warm embrace, but Eren jumped into his arms with enough speed to make them tumble back on the bed. Levi inhaled Eren's smell and felt his mind lighten up a bit. Now that he could touch and protect him again, he suddenly felt calmer than he had felt ever since he left this morning. Levi tried to pull him back to kiss him, but Eren buried his head in the nook of his neck and refused to let go. This was definitely better than being alone. Maybe Eren wouldn't have time to think now, but at least he knew Levi would make him feel good. If the painter could just make him lose his mind like last night, everything would be okay, at least for a few moments.

Eren straddled Levi, began licking his neck and pulling at the collar of his shirt to gain access. Levi called out to him and tried to get a look at him, but Eren pierced him to the bed with his knees and let a hand wander to his hair and pulled lightly. He let the other hand slide down to Levi's crotch, where Eren unbuttoned his pants with skilled fingers and dug his hand inside. Levi let out a gasp as he felt Eren's hand through his underwear. Eren responded with a low purr and began nibbling at Levi's earlobe. He needed this, he had to get distracted. His thoughts threatened to demand attention and for him to come up with a solution, but he just needed a break right now.

"Eren, wait," Levi mumbled as Eren pulled his hair to keep him quiet, "Eren."

"Ssh, I really want you," Eren whispered and licked Levi's lower lip while rubbing his palm against his lover's dick. He did his best to sent Levi a seductive look, but the painter refused to take part in the kiss.

"Eren, stop it!" Levi raised his voice a bit and tried to push the boy's hand away from his crotch. It wasn't unpleasant, but this was not what he needed right now. He had barely gotten to look at Eren or talk to him for that matter. After his fight with Hanji, he really needed to just talk and feel reassured that he was doing the right thing. "I said stop it!"

Eren squirmed and tried to keep on fondling, hoping Levi would just give in if he was insistent, but Levi kept trying to force his hands away and denying his needy kisses. Eren felt the irritation grow as he realized Levi wasn't going to give him what he needed right now. He jerked back with frustration painted all over his face.

"Why can't you just treat me like a whore, like everybody else does?" Eren yelled as Levi caught his hands and stopped them from touching him. Levi sat up on the bed with Eren still straddling him, and they finally locked eyes. Levi looked at Eren's face with make-up smeared all over his burning green eyes. "Do I really have to put on a big show for you to want me?"

"Excuse me?" Levi narrowed his eyes in disbelief as he studied Eren's face, searching for a sign that he was just joking. Where did all this come from?

"You heard me! Do I really have to dress up like a woman and roll around on the floor for you to desire me?" Eren hissed and tried to pull his wrists out of Levi's hands. Levi's fingers tightened and refused to let go, while Eren squirmed, desperate to get out - like he was desperate to get out of this place. "Can't you desire me as a person, or do I really have to downgrade myself to act like a cat in heat? If you need a  _woman_ , why don't you just go to Annie or Ymir instead?"

"What is the matter with you?" the painter raised his voice in disbelief, trying to keep his voice under control and get the boy to shut up. This was about the last thing he needed right now. He had come to Eren's room early to spend time with him and forget all about his shitty day, and now he had to deal with this instead. As if one fight wasn't enough for one day. "I desire you all the time, don't ever question that!" he said loudly, "But I love you, you mean the world to me. I care about  _you_  and not just your body. Something is wrong, so talk to me instead of seducing me - or yelling at me."

Eren's expression softened and turned to something so sad, it was almost heartbreaking to watch. He stared at Levi,  _his_ Levi; his Levi he had just lashed out at against his better judgement. His Levi that wanted to get him out of the terrible place that they both knew Eren hated. How could he treat Levi like that? None of this was his fault, and Eren shouldn't have let his frustrations out on him like that. He felt like the worst person in the world, completely unworthy of Levi's love. After what Eren had yelled at him, he still only had loving words to share. Eren pulled his hands away from Levi's and threw his arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," he sniffed as tears formed in his eyes. He clung onto Levi to hide it, but he had trouble controlling his voice, "Je t'aime, Levi, je t'aime tant de!"

Eren felt the tears build up and he hugged Levi tighter. He could feel the painter's gentle hands on his back, caressing him as if he was the most precious thing in the world. How could he do this to Levi? Eren felt the guilt taking a firm grip on his heart; lying and keeping secrets from Levi, yelling at him like this and getting mad at him for not treating him like a whore. He most definitely was a horrible person. How could such a wonderful person fall in love with...  _This?_

Levi tried to keep his cool and get Eren to calm down. The fact that he had had a mental breakdown earlier that day too, made him question whether Hanji was actually right; if this was healthy for any of them.

"It's okay, Eren," he whispered and turned his head to place a soft kiss on his neck, "I love you. Please, just talk to me."

That was easier said than done. Eren sniffled again and pulled back a bit while wiping the tears from his eyes. Levi sent him a worried glance. It hurt him to see the boy like this; he never wanted Eren to feel sad or cry, and yet, Levi had caused him to do exactly that.

"I... I have to ask you to do me a favor," Eren said hoarsely and placed a hand on Levi's shoulder again, "Instead of paying me, could you buy some medicine for me? I am not allowed to go out and buy it myself, a-and I need it as soon as possible."

Levi's eyes widened in horror as he pulled Eren closer again.

"Are you sick? What's wrong?" he asked and placed a hand on Eren's forehead and then on his cheek.

"No, it's not for me," Eren said and looked away.

"Then who?"

"I can't tell you."

Levi leaned back a bit and studied Eren's face in the moonlight. He was a bit relieved if it was true, that it wasn't Eren who was sick, but he really wanted to know who is was for then. Eren looked down, and let his tail grow out. He began fiddling with it and softly pulling at the fur.

"You are keeping an awful lot of secrets from me," Levi stated and touched Eren's chin, gently forcing him to look at him. "I will help you, even if you don't think you can tell me about it. But you do know you can trust me, don't you?"

Eren let out a deep sigh and looked down at his hands again. He had to be honest. He couldn't lie to Levi anymore, not when he said something like that. Of course he knew he could trust him - Eren was the one who couldn't be trusted. He had to tell the painter that they would never be able to be together.

"Levi..." Eren started, but it was hard to get the words to cross his lips. It was like asking him to leave and never come back. He looked up at the most caring face he had ever seen and his chest tightened when thinking about what he was about to do. He wasn't ready to let Levi go yet, but then again, he probably never would be. It would have been nice to bathe in his love just a little longer, but he couldn't allow himself to act selfishly any more. Levi deserved better than to be led behind the lights by a lousy whore.

Levi's face saddened as tears formed in Eren's eyes again. He he placed a warm hand on his cheek, caressing the smooth skin and wiping away a tear.

"Levi," Eren said again and blinked a few times as his vision blurred, "I can't do this any more. I want to leave with you, but it can never happen. I am bound to this place by something stronger than your will to get me out. I have known it all along, I just... I love you so much and I couldn't tell you. I couldn't just let you go. I wanted to feel your love. I should have told you I can't leave, no matter what you say, but I was too selfish." Eren shut his eyes tightly and felt warm tears run down his face. He focused on Levi's hand on his cheek. He wanted to enjoy it for as long as he could.

"Eren," Levi said and forced him to lock eyes with him again, "I am not leaving Paris without you. I am staying until I can get you out of here."

Eren took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. New tears formed in the corner of his eyes, and he cursed Levi for always saying such caring and sweet words.

"I know I told you I was abandoned as a kitten and ... "

_Terrified of the thunder and lightning, roaring over the roof-tops of Paris, a white kitten with brown spots curled up in the corner of a box. He was tired and hungry, but right now he just wanted to seek cover from the heavy rain._

_He didn't know how he had done this, but at some point - while running away from a bunch of bullies - he had somehow transformed from a young boy to a young kitten. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but he was scared and confused. He felt alone and he didn't understand why people would throw shoes and stones after him, just because he couldn't control when his ears or tail would come out._

_As he curled up against the wooden wall of the otherwise empty box, a dark shadow leaned in over the edge. The kitten's eyes widened as he looked up; there was nowhere to run and his body was too cold to react fast enough to get away. Heavy black eyes looked back down at him with an expression that was hard to read. Before the kitten's tired mind could process another thought, two small and soft hands grabbed him gently, and lifted him out of the box. He let out a muffled meow, but she hid him under her jacket and stroke his wet fur, and as his trembling body slowly warmed up, he relaxed and cuddled up against the girl, who had just saved him._

_The next morning he woke up in the back of an alley, wrapped up in worn blankets while those heavy black eyes studied him from over the edge of a black woolen scarf. He looked down and noticed he had turned into a human again._ _He was naked under the blankets. After noticing it, he wrapped them tighter around his body and looked up to his rescuer._

_"What's your name?" the girl asked._

_"Eren," he answered after hesitating for a moment. He knew nothing of her, and normally people weren't exactly friendly towards him. She had seen him transform - would he have to flee again?_

_The girl got up and rummaged through a paper bag, hidden behind a box in a dark corner of the alley. She returned with a big green apple and handed it over to him. He studied it as if it could be poisoned, and then studied her face as he slowly reached out to grab it._

_"My name is Mikasa," she said as he finally took the apple and brought it to his mouth. Her expression softened as he took a bite, and his eyes lit up_ _after tasting the odd mixture of sweetness and sourness._ _"Do you have a family, Eren?"_

_He shook his head and took another bite of the apple. The juices ran down his chin, but he didn't care. He couldn't remember when was the last time he had had such a nice and tasteful meal._

_"I don't have a family either. You can stay with me if you want to."_

_"Aren't you afraid of me?" Eren asked with his mouth full of apple. He searched her face but it remained calm, partly hidden behind the black scarf._

_"No," Mikasa answered. Eren continued eating in silence, and after a few moments, she moved a bit closer and touched his hair gently; "I like cats."_

_Eren looked down at the apple in his hand and smiled shyly. It was almost too good to be true, but he felt like he could trust her. They had a connection he would never be able to put into words; maybe this was how it felt to have a family._

_***_

_For the first time ever, Eren had a companion, someone who wouldn't judge him because of his abnormalities. Their home in the back of the alley, often got trashed when they were out searching for food or other necessities. They would rarely steal anything, but sometimes their aching stomachs would yell louder than their reason._

_To Eren, Mikasa was like an angel; she protected him from the bullies who used to chase him and pull his ears and tail. She made clothes for him and carried him when he accidentally turned into a kitten. But the best part was to actually have a family. He didn't feel alone any more and even though they had to cuddle up against each other to stay safe through the cold nights, and they were dirty and hungry most of the time, he was still happy. Mikasa took care of him and helped him learn to stand on his own feet, and he knew he would never be able to pay her back. He would do anything for her, and he promised himself that one day, he would be the one taking care of her._

_As they grew older together, Eren had finally learned to control his transformation, with help from Mikasa. They began performing on the streets of Paris, pretending Mikasa was a magician who could make ears and a tail appear on Eren's body. They earned money that way, mostly from tourists who found them charming, and they finally had enough money for both food and clothes. They never fell asleep with an empty stomach, but it wasn't nearly enough to buy them decent lives. Mikasa seemed happy, but Eren still longed to pay back the girl who saved him, and he wanted her to feel safe in a home that wasn't made out of cardboard and used boxes._

_One day, a tall blond man came to see their performance. He stayed and watched them as they collected their money from the by-passers and while Eren let his ears and tail disappear, the stranger approached them with a charming smile. He praised their performance and offered to take them out for lunch, if they were willing to consider the proposal he had for them. While stuffing themselves with fresh bread and apple juice, Eren and Mikasa listened to the blonde's talk; he offered them a proper home with a warm bed and hot meals, where they could perform together, they would work for him and let 80 percent of their income go to him. Mikasa studied him over her black scarf with an unreadable expression, but refused to say anything. Eren, on the other hand, was eager to go as he finally saw a chance to fulfill his promise to Mikasa._

_"Eren, I think it's a bad idea," Mikasa whispered as Erwin went to the bar in the restaurant to get a glass of whine and let them discuss his offer._

_"Why?" Eren asked in wonder. He thought the offer seemed generous and the stranger seemed kind._

_"We don't know him, and when have we ever been treated kindly by anyone?" she insisted and looked back at the blonde, who smiled and waved at them._

_"He seems nice," Eren said as he too looked back at the stranger, "Look, maybe we will have to hand over most of our income, but we still get to have a home. A warm home, Mikasa, a place that won't get trashed while we're away."_

_"I'm perfectly happy with what we've got now," Mikasa said and hid her mouth behind the scarf as she looked down._

_"Hey," Eren said lowly, trying to get her to look at him again, "I want you to be safe. The work is the same and we will still be together." She smiled as Eren's bright eyes shone in the sunlight. "And if we don't like it there, we can always go back."_

_***_

_"You're disgusting!" Mikasa yelled as the anger raged in her eyes. She took a step forward and spit Erwin in the face. He pulled a cloth from his chest-pocket and dried it off his cheek with a calm expression. He almost looked amused._

_"I think you should reconsider the offer, petit mademoiselle," he said and looked down at her with a poisonous smile, "I'm willing to go very far to have a were-cat perform at my night-club."_

_"You're a horrible human being, Monsieur Erwin!" she hissed, obviously not afraid of the tall man. She kept pushing Eren behind her, trying to hide him from Erwin. Eren watched the argument between the two, trying to decide what to do. It was his fault they were in this situation now, and he should be the one getting them out again. But Mikasa kept pushing him back and hissed at Erwin as if she was a lioness, trying to protect her cub._

_"Trying to trick us into prostitution - you deserve to die the most horrible way!" she continued with a furious tone, "We're leaving. Don't ever come near me or my brother again!"_

_Erwin snapped his fingers and before Mikasa could manage to pull Eren away, two guards grabbed him and lifted him off the ground. Eren yelled and tried to squirm out of their painfully firm grip._

_"Mikasa, run!" he yelled, but Mikasa kept her eyes on him. She turned around and sent Erwin another hateful glance, looking like she was ready to attack him with all she had. As Eren saw she wouldn't do as he said, he let his ears and tail out,ready to transform and get away from the guards._

_"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Erwin smirked as he grabbed Mikasa's arm and pulled a gun from his back-pocket. He aimed it at Mikasa's head and Eren froze immediately. Erwin sent the boy a smug smile, before leaning in closer to Mikasa, to make sure she paid attention to what he said. "You see, ever since I heard there was a were-cat lose in the streets of Paris, I've died to meet her and convince her to help me make my night-club famous. Sadly, the were-cat appears to be a boy," he looked over at Eren, dangling between the two guards, hissing and squirming to get down. Erwin let out an amused laugh and looked back at Mikasa. She let out a low growl as he tightened the grip on her arm, and he continued; "But I guess I can make him look like a girl. Luckily, you guys haven't been eating properly, and with a corset and a bit longer hair, he could easily go for an undernourished girl. Most prostitutes are like that anyway."_

_"We will never work for you," Mikasa hissed and tried to twist her arm out of Erwin's hand._

_"I don't care about you, you filthy little orphan," Erwin said and straightened his back, as a serious expression settled on his face, "I was willing to offer you the same conditions as your brother over there, but since you're acting like an ungrateful bitch, I've changed my mind."_

_Mikasa kicked and tried to scratch Erwin, not caring about the gun in his hand, as he dragged her with him over to Eren. The blonde seemed unaffected by her struggle as he locked eyes with Eren who once again stopped fighting the two guards, as soon as he was spoken to._

_"I'm going to make sure you help me make this place famous. You will dance on stage as a girl and sell your body to whoever is willing to pay for you. I don't care about your clients finding out that you're actually a boy, but as soon as you leave your room, you will look and act like a girl. Are we clear?"_

_"I would rather die," Eren hissed and aimed a kick at Erwin, but he missed._

_"I know that, but I think there are something you fear more than your own death," Erwin said, as another evil smile settled on his face. He pushed Mikasa in front of him and pointed the gun at her head again. Eren's eyes widened as he looked down at his sister, who also seemed to understand what Erwin was hinting at. "I'm going to lock her up, just as a small insurance to keep you working for me ."_

_"No! Please, no!" Eren yelled, his voice desperate and hoarse as he tried to get away from the guards, "I'll work for you, I promise! Just let Mikasa go, I promise I will stay, please!"_

_"The thing is, Eren," Erwin said amused, "You can't really trust a whore. I'm keeping her, and if you ever try to run away or disobey me, I'll kill her."_

Eren sniffed and dragged the back of his fist over his eyes, attempting to wipe away the mass of tears that had formed while recounting his past. Thinking back at his past and the fact that this was all his fault for trusting Erwin, didn't really help on his heartache, but there was no way back now. Levi wrapped his arms tight around his lover, while trying to process this new information.

"So your sister - Mikasa - has been held captive for four years?" Levi asked, not really sure how to deal with Eren's story.

"Oui," Eren said and looked down again. It was really hard to talk about it, but it seemed like Levi finally understood why he couldn't leave. He dreaded what he knew would come next.

"Here? How can he keep someone captured for four years without anyone noticing?" Levi asked, hoping he had misunderstood something.

"He keeps her in a hidden basement under his office. It is underground and the only way down there is through that office."

"Has no one asked you what happened to her? Why didn't you go to the police?" Levi asked with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"No one cares if homeless children disappear," Eren huffed bitterly, "And Monsieur Erwin is a powerful man with a lot of connections. Many police-officers are regulars here, and Erwin gladly offers them discount to have them on his side. They wouldn't care about what I say."

Levi thought about it for a moment, and realized that Eren was right. He would probably get into deeper trouble if he even tried.

"Is your sister the one who is sick?" Levi then asked, remembering how this whole conversation started.

"She's been sick for some time now. Erwin only lets me out once a week, to buy what I need for her. Food, clothes, matches and candles. Medicine. Everything. But she is really suffering, and she told me she didn't think she will last long like this. Please, Levi, I need to get the medicine to her as soon as possible. I don't think it can wait a week," Eren said desperately and looked at Levi with pleading eyes. He really hoped Levi would still help him, even though it had to be obvious to him now, that they could never be together.

Levi leaned back, letting his elbows hit the mattress. He let out a sigh and tried to come up with a solution, but it seemed impossible.

Eren moved a bit on Levi's lap, waiting for the painter to say what he knew would come at some point; 'You are right. We can't be together. This is hopeless.' At least Levi could understand now. Eren had done the right thing by being honest, but it felt like an iron-fist clenching his heart, as he realized this was probably the last time he saw Levi. The tears pushed against his eyes again, and he choked on his breath as a sob made it's way through his lips.

Levi looked up at him and grabbed his arm. He pulled him down to lie on his chest and locked eyes with him again.

"I'm not leaving without you," he whispered and pressed a soft kiss on Eren's lips, "This might make things a bit more complicated, but it doesn't change anything. I understand you can't leave without your sister, and I  _WILL_  get you out of here."

"Levi -" Eren started and tried to get up from his chest.

"I'm not leaving you here!" Levi raised his voice and pulled Eren back down. He let his back hit the mattress and held onto Eren with both his arms. "I can't leave you here. It would be like leaving a part of myself, I can't do that. I would never be able to live with myself if I left the love of my life in such a horrible place. You are mine, Eren. I am taking you with me."

 

* * *

 

The next week passed by just like the previous one, but Levi's mood was gloomy and his mind dark. Hanji had given up on trying to help him, and left Levi alone with his work and gloominess. Their conversations had been reduced to courtesies such as asking if the other wanted a cup of tea or if they needed anything from the grocery-store. Levi felt bad about what it had come to, but his biggest problem was still to figure out a way to get Eren out of La Maison des Chats. He searched his brain over and over, trying to find a glimpse of hope, but no solution presented itself.

He visited Eren every night, and sometimes both of them managed to forget their situation for a moment. Wrapped up in each other's arms, making love to the sounds of panting breaths and muffled moans, they would forget everything and only focus on each other. But as soon as they returned from oblivion, reality would hit them hard.

Levi had bought the medicine for Mikasa and handed it over to Eren, of course while still paying him for every night. The following evening, Eren told him that he had been allowed to give it to Mikasa, but Erwin had thrown him out again before he could check up on her.

Levi had just finished the poster of Christa, and was on his way to the night-club to hand it over to Erwin. The only girl left to be painted now was Sasha, and Levi felt stressed out and anxious. Hanji had kept an eye on his work ever since their fight, to make sure Levi wouldn't take other jobs. She was still determined to leave Paris as soon as Levi's work for Erwin was done, and Levi saw no other choice than to part ways with her.

While walking through the front-doors to La Maison des Chats, Levi decided to ask Erwin to let Eren go. He couldn't let the blonde know that he knew about Mikasa, but he was desperate to do something.

Levi tried to keep the hopelessness from taking over, as he walked down the dark hallways of the night-club. It was completely silent for once; no one was practicing on the stage and only a few waiters walked around silently in the dance-hall, cleaning tables and preparing for the night's show. Levi ignored them all and headed for Erwin's office in the back of the building.

He took a deep breath before knocking on the heavy wooden door. He heard the sound of a chair scratching against the floor, followed by the sound of a lock from the door. Erwin's eyes fell on the painter and offered him a bright smile, as he opened the door further.

"Monsieur Levi," Erwin said and signaled for Levi to enter, "Already finished another poster?"

"Obviously," Levi said coldly and entered the room to place the rolled paper on the blonde's desk. He looked back at Erwin, who understood that Levi wasn't just there to hand over his work.

"So," Erwin said after closing the door, "What can I do for you?"

They both sat down on each side of the desk, and Erwin offered Levi a glass of whiskey before letting Levi answer his question.

"The bonus," Levi said and took a sip of his glass. He leaned back in the chair and sent Erwin a calm look.

"You still need to hand in the last poster," Erwin said just as coldly and studied the painter over the edge of his glass.

"And I think we can both agree that I will, without a doubt, finish before the deadline," Levi huffed and locked eyes with Erwin, "I am here to discuss that bonus."

"You get 1000 francs for finishing within the two months we agreed on," Erwin stated, his tone suggesting that it wasn't up for discussion. Levi's eyes narrowed as he saw a glimpse of amusement in Erwin's blue eyes.

"I don't care about your money," Levi said, deciding not to back out. He had vowed to get Eren out, and now was the time to show Erwin his intentions. "I want Eren."

"Chasseuse," Erwin corrected him and took another sip of his whiskey.

"Eren," Levi repeated coldly.

Erwin sent him a wry glance and turned in his chair to face Levi over the desk. He placed the glass on the surface and leaned in.

"Don't be silly, Monsieur Levi, I can't decide for my girls if they should stay or go," he said as a smug smile settled on his lips, "I can offer you to spend nights with Chasseuse every time you come to visit Paris, but that's hardly in your interest."

"Eren wants to leave," Levi said, his face still expressionless, "Keep your 1000 francs and let him go."

Erwin let a single laugh escape his lips. The amusement grew in his eyes, but Levi refused to let him mock him.

"It seems like my little kitten has managed to seduce you completely, Monsieur Levi," Erwin said as he leaned back in his chair again, "I apologize for that. But don't let her fool you for 1000 francs."

Levi didn't say anything. He tried to keep his calm, but it had been awfully hard for him to do so lately. It was tempting to bring Mikasa up, but he had promised Eren to keep his secret. Erwin studied the painter's face and his smile grew a bit before Levi opened his mouth again.

"Let me buy him out then," Levi said in a hoarse voice, still trying to keep himself under control.

"I can't let you do that," Erwin said smugly and laughed again, "She's a big attraction. People visit from every part of France to watch her perform and see her ears and tail with their own eyes."

"I thought your 'girls' could leave whenever they wanted?" Levi said calmly and could finally return Erwin's smug attitude, "It sounds like Eren isn't allowed to leave at all."

Erwin studied him for a moment. He ignored Levi's questions, and said; "Don't fall in love with a prostitute, Monsieur Levi," - he emptied his glass - "They are creatures of the underworld - gorgeous, with their long legs and slim hips, but they don't understand what love is. Take the money and find someone who is actually worth something."

Levi felt the rage grow in him. Eren was worth far more than all the dirty money Erwin would ever offer him. His fingers tightened around the glass.

"Was that all?" Erwin asked and got up, signalling for Levi to leave.

"For now," Levi huffed and moved towards the door after placing the glass on the desk. Trying to talk Erwin into letting Eren leave had been a waste of time, and he would have to come up with another plan. His mind was blank, but he was still determined not to leave Paris without Eren. He would stay in Paris the rest of his life, if that was what it would take for him to be with Eren. But that was far from desirable. He wanted to go back to London and live a normal life with Eren by his side; to take care of him and never let him out of sight.

"By the way," Erwin said and walked over to open the door for Levi, "As much as I appreciate you paying for Chasseuse's services every night, I have to ask you to find another girl to entertain you tomorrow night."

Levi couldn't hide the confusion in his eyes, as he looked up at Erwin, trying to figure out what he was saying.

"One of my most generous benefitors will come by for a meeting tomorrow, and it is his wish to see Chasseuse. After the show, he will spend the night with her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna say thanks to everybody who's left comments, and apologize for not being good at answering; I get all awkward and flustered every time I get reviews, but I appreciate it so much and you're a great motivation for me!  
> And thank you to my beta harem too.


	12. Hurricane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is desperate now. Desperate to save Eren and desperate to let his mind rest for just a moment. Unable to control himself anymore, his mind is playing tricks on him. He decides to watch the show with Hanji, wanting to see Eren on stage before the boy has another job to perform.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Eren sings in this chapter is Hurricane by Thirty Seconds to Mars.  
> I've been told it adds a lot to the atmosphere to listen to the song while reading Eren's performance, but I don't thinks it a necessity.

Eren's hands tugged at the collar of Levi's shirt as the painter pulled him in for a needy kiss. Their lips moved against each other in a smooth motion, and Levi ripped up the thin robe around Eren's body to let his hands wander inside. They slid up and down the soft skin, trying to touch as much of the boy as possible at once, and made Eren moan against his lips.

Levi let go of his lover for a moment, letting him pull off his jacket, before his hands found Eren's hips again. He let his palms rub against the tanned skin before biting down on Eren's bottom-lip and pulling him close once more. Eren moaned out again due to the feeling of teeth against his lip, and he let Levi's tongue enter his mouth. Their tongues wrestled in a wet mess somewhere between the two pair of lips.

Levi growled against the kiss, eager to lose his mind as soon as possible and forget what Erwin had told him in his office earlier. He bit down on Eren's lip again and let his hands wander up the young body before sliding the robe off of Eren's shoulder. It pooled around his feet and Eren slid into Levi's embrace again, grinding his naked body against Levi.

Levi's hands found Eren's butt and grabbed it hard, before letting his hands wander up again. Eren let a hand slide through Levi's hair and pulled lightly. He smiled against the kiss as the painter hissed, and Eren let his other hand slowly unbutton Levi's shirt.

Levi lost his patience and turned them around to slam Eren's back against the wall. The boy lost his breath for a moment as Levi pierced him to his place and leaned down to trail kisses down his neck. Eren let out a breathy moan as Levi bit down on his shoulder and sucked on the skin.

"Levi," Eren moaned and pulled at the dark locks between his fingers. He let another pleased sound escape his lips as Levi bit down again. He brought both his hands up to pull at Levi's hair; even though it felt so good when he bit and sucked on his skin, he couldn't allow his lover to leave any marks. He still hadn't forgotten about his conversation with Erwin a week ago, and even though his boss probably knew what was going on, there was no reason to make it even more obvious. Showing off their love would be like asking for trouble.

Levi finally let go of Eren's skin and began licking and kissing his way up his neck again. Eren focused on unbuttoning Levi's shirt while the painter's hands were all over his body, making it hard for the boy to concentrate.

As soon as his shirt was unbuttoned, Levi grabbed Eren's wrists and pinned him against the wall. Levi sucked on his ear-lobe and Eren felt his teeth ghost over the sensitive skin. He felt completely out of control, but he trusted Levi. It felt so good even though he was a lot rougher than usual.

Levi ground his still clothed crotch against Eren's and let go of his hands to grab his hips. He thrust forwards while pulling Eren's hips against his own and Eren moaned in a mix of pain and pleasure, as his dick was pressed against Levi's pants. Levi didn't react to the sound at all, but bit down on Eren's neck again.

Eren enjoyed the raging desire in Levi's treatment, but decided to take control for now. He pushed lightly at Levi's shoulders to get his hands in between them and unbutton Levi's pants. Levi sucked harder on Eren's neck, refusing to let go, to which Eren let his hands slip inside Levi's pants and began rubbing his erection through his underwear.

Levi growled against the lightly bruised skin on Eren's neck and let his head rest against the wall over the boy's shoulder, as Eren worked with skilled hands.

"Do you want me to take care of you?" Eren purred against Levi's ear and let the tip of his tongue run over his lover's neck, "Do you want me to make you lose your mind?"

"Yes," Levi panted, and shut his eyes as his hand wandered up and down Eren's side. He really hoped Eren could do exactly that; make him forget everything.

Eren moaned lowly against his ear and felt Levi's erection twitch through his underwear. He placed a few kisses on his neck and collarbone before slowly moving down his chest, licking and sucking at the pale skin.

Levi leaned his arm against the wall and looked down at his lover through half-lidded eyes as the brunette caressed his skin with his soft lips and tongue. Levi exhaled sharply as Eren got down on his knees and licked the lowest part of his stomach, just above the edge of his underwear.

Eren hummed happily as Levi's muscles tensed up against his mouth, and he enjoyed the effect he had on the painter. He pulled down Levi's pants and rubbed his erection a bit harder with both hands. He leaned his back against the wall and pulled Levi a bit closer, as he felt his lover's hand on his head, gently caressing his brown locks.

Levi leaned his forehead against the arm resting against the wall and hissed as Eren teased him with his hands and tongue. He grabbed a handful of soft hair, hinting for Eren to get going.

Eren moaned lowly as he felt Levi's hand tugging at his hair, and pulled down Levi's underwear slowly, revealing his throbbing erection. Levi closed his eyes and waited for Eren's warm mouth to surround him. He tried to focus on the feeling of Eren's breath against his crotch and his hands on his thighs, but his mind was a mess. The thought of leaving those sweet lips to another man the following night, was driving him crazy, and he pulled a little tighter at Eren's hair.

Eren blew out a hot breath against Levi's thigh and let the tip of his tongue brush over the painter's balls. Levi exhaled sharply, and Eren smirked slightly as he grabbed the twitching dick with his right hand and began licking his way up the shaft, ever so slowly. He let his tongue hit every vein and sensitive spot, covering it in saliva as it hardened further in his hand.

Levi shut his eyes tighter and focused on the wet muscle against his erection, but it wasn't nearly enough to make his mind go numb. His body felt like it was burning, but his head hurt from lack of sleep and his anxiety was threatening to take over. He let out another growl and tugged at the brown locks between his fingers again.

Eren caught the hint and let his tongue hit the tip of Levi's cock. He licked the sensitive area and began to slowly stroke the entire length with his hand. He could hear Levi's breathing get heavier and locked his lips around the tip. He sucked gently and ran his tongue over the slid, earning him a breathy moan from his lover. Eren lapped up the pre-cum, forming at the tip, and sucked lightly.

Levi moved closer, trapping Eren between himself and the wall, and forced Eren to take in half of his dick. Eren obeyed without resistance and let his lips move up and down the shaft, sucking lightly at the tip every time his lips locked around it.

Levi let a gasp escape his lips and tried to let Eren's arousing treatment fill his mind. Eren was on his knees, butt-naked, sucking his dick and only loving him. Levi tightened his grip on his hair. Nothing else should matter. But it did; he wanted Eren for himself, but none of them owned the boy's body. They were so close to each other, but Levi felt like he would never be able to reach Eren. He would never be able to grab him and make him his own. No matter how many times he marked him, he could never own him. No matter how many times he reduced the boy to a panting mess with only Levi on his mind and lips, he could never be his entire world. He was constantly looking for a resort, but wherever it was, it would be without Eren.

Levi thrust forward, lost in his thoughts and trying to force the pleasure to take over. He wanted Eren for himself, he  _needed_ him. With every part of his being, he needed him. Eren was his muse, his only true love, his reason to live. Every time he left the boy alone, it felt like his soul was torn apart and a little piece stayed with Eren. He couldn't take this any more, and he felt desperate and close to madness by the thought of someone else in Eren's room the following night.

Levi's chain of thought was abruptly cut off, as he noticed a choked sound, and he looked down at Eren. His eyes were shut tightly and tears ran down his cheeks as his gag-reflex reacted to Levi's thrusts. The painter choked on his breath and jerked back, letting go of the soft locks as his dick broke the contact with Eren's mouth. Eren was panting from lack of air, as he looked up at Levi with wet eyes.

Levi stepped back without taking his eyes away from his lover, as it dawned on him what he had done. He had been too caught up in his thoughts to notice how hard he had thrust into Eren's mouth and it was obvious how unpleasant it had been for the boy.

"Oh god, what am I doing?" Levi whispered as he moved backwards and sat down on the bed. He hid his face in his hands as the guilt washed over his mind and his emotions took over.

"No, it's okay," Eren reassured him and crawled after him. He sat down by Levi's feet and leaned in to continue his treatment.

"It is not okay!" Levi yelled and looked down at Eren, while moving away from the boy's hands, "I'm hurting you."

"No, I don't mind," Eren said lowly and looked up at Levi's frustrated face, "I mean... As long as it's you."

"I'm hurting you!" Levi repeated and pushed Eren away. He got up from the bed and pulled up his underwear and pants, "I don't want it to be like this! I love you and I want to save you, and instead I'm losing my mind and treating you like..."

"A prostitute?" Eren asked and offered Levi a sad smile.

"Yes," Levi said, his voice dripping with sadness, and locked eyes with the boy, "And I don't want to be that kind of person. You are not a prostitute, Eren. You are so precious to me, you deserve so much better."

"Levi, I understand your frustration," Eren said and got up from the floor. He wrapped his arms around the painter, not caring that he was still naked. "Monsieur Erwin told you about the client tomorrow, didn't he? If it will make it easier for you tonight, I will let you do whatever you want with me."

"No!" Levi yelled and pushed Eren away to lock eyes with him again. Eren's expression was calm but extremely sad. He studied the painter's depressed face silently, as Levi continued; "No, that does  _not_  make it any easier for me! I don't want him to touch you! I don't want  _anyone_ to touch you!"

Levi's chest hurt as he looked at the naked boy in front of him, who was completely unable to offer him any kind of comforting words. They both knew Eren couldn't tell him the only thing that would make it easier for the painter, and Eren looked down with sadness painted all over his face. Levi bit his lip and swallowed hard. He wanted to just grab Eren and run away with him, whether he wanted to or not.

"I have to go," Levi mumbled and turned away from Eren. His throat tightened as he went to grab his jacket, while trying to button up his shirt with one hand. He rummaged through his pocket to find the money for Eren, desperate to get away. His eyes were burning and his skin felt itchy under his clothes.

"Levi," Eren said, the misery dripping from his voice. He wrapped the robe around his body, as Levi pulled on his jacket and finally found his wallet. Eren could feel how Levi avoided looking at him and it felt like his heart was torn to pieces by the rejection.

Levi ran a hand through his hair and placed the 80 francs on the table, ready to leave. Eren walked over and wrapped his arms around the painter from behind. A tear fell from his eye and landed on the back of Levi's jacket.

"Please, don't leave me," Eren whispered and clung to his lover. If Levi truly wished to leave, he couldn't force him to stay, but he didn't want them to part like this. He knew why Levi wanted to leave, but it wouldn't make it easier for either of them.

Levi let out a shaky breath and leaned into Eren's embrace. No matter how much he hated the situation, he could never say no to Eren. And he didn't want to leave, he just wanted to get out of the mess he had gotten himself into.

"Don't leave me like this," Eren whispered again and held onto Levi tightly. He really wished he could save himself for Levi only. He felt Levi's hands on his wrists, forcing him to let go, and he lowered his head in defeat as new tears formed in his eyes. But Levi turned around and pulled him closer again. He wrapped his arms around Eren's slender frame and held him as close as possible. Eren could feel the painter's shoulders shake slightly and the boy returned the hug.

"I can't take this," Levi whispered and Eren could hear the pain in his voice, "I can't stand that you're going to spend the night with someone else."

"I don't have a choice," Eren mumbled, but he felt a pinch of guilt in his chest. He did have a choice, but he couldn't sacrifice Mikasa's life for his own happiness. He would never be able to forgive himself if he left her there. "Please, forgive me."

"I can't even stand other men looking at you while you're on stage," Levi admitted, his voice hoarse from trying to hold back his tears. He tightened his grip on Eren, wanting to hide him from the rest of the world.

"I know," Eren whispered. He had figured out that was probably why Levi never came to watch the shows any more. "But even on stage, all I think about is you. I don't care about anyone else."

It was obvious that Levi had reached his limit, and Eren had to be strong now, even though he was terrified of the following night. The benefiter he had to spend the night with, was the same that had hurt him a few weeks ago, when Levi had helped him treat his bruises. That itself wasn't pleasurable to look forward to, but he was more afraid of how it would affect his and Levi's relationship.

Eren gently pulled Levi back towards the bed, and placed him on the edge. Levi looked up at him with red eyes, as the boy straddled him and kissed him deeply. They wrapped their arms around each other again and sat like that for a while. Eren tried to comfort Levi by nuzzling his hair and placing soft kisses on his forehead. Levi just sat there, holding Eren close, and inhaling his warmth through trembling breaths.

Eren hummed lowly, hoping it would calm Levi down and when he finally felt Levi starting to relax, he pulled off his jacket again. Feeling reassured that Levi would stay through the night, he slowly undressed his upper body and let his own rope slide down and pool around his hips. Eren moved closer to let their skin touch, and placed his hands on each side of Levi's face. Levi looked sad and tired, and when he locked eyes with the boy, Eren placed a light kiss on his lips.

"I will love you until my dying day," Eren whispered against his lover's lips and felt Levi's arms tighten around him again.

Levi didn't speak another word that night, and they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms like it was the last night they would spend together. When Eren woke up the next morning, Levi had already left. There was no sign of him, other than the 80 francs on the table. He hadn't left a note.

 

* * *

 

Levi sat on the out-worn couch in Hanji's living-room most of the day, staring into space. He should be working on the last poster, but everything seemed meaningless as he knew what would happen at the end of the day.

Hanji had been away from the apartment most of the day to do business Levi didn't even care to ask about. It didn't matter what she was doing. Nothing mattered any more. He felt lost; an empty shell of someone who used to be able to see the beauty in the world. It seemed gray and dark now, completely without purpose or meaning. He tried to remember who he used to be, but it seemed like a long lost dream. There was no way to avoid the approaching catastrophe.

Hanji entered the apartment and sent her friend an unreadable glance before throwing her jacket on a chair and moving to the kitchen. Levi heard her move around, but didn't acknowledge her presence. He felt like she might have asked him something, but what it was about or if he had answered her, he wasn't sure. He was lost in his thoughts, trying to find motivation to move his body, but it was hopeless.

After some time - he didn't know if only a few minutes had went by or an hour - she came back to the living-room and placed a cup of tea in front of him at the coffee-table. He watched her hand move away from the handle, and looked up at her with empty eyes.

Hanji studied the dead expression on his face and the dark circles under his eyes, before she placed her own cup on the table and sat down next to him on the couch. Levi could feel her eyes studying him, but he didn't care. He didn't care to try and hide that something was obviously wrong. It didn't matter if it showed.

Hanji sighed and decided it was no use. Levi wasn't going to talk to her no matter what she said, and she had decided to leave Paris in a few days, with or without him. She took a sip of her tea before grabbing the newspaper from the table, and leaned back in the couch with another deep sigh. Of course she still cared about Levi and she wanted to help him more than anything, but there was really nothing she could do. He hadn't talked to her all week, and there was no reason why he would do so now.

Levi cleared his throat and Hanji looked at him over her glasses.

"Are you going to watch the show tonight?" the painter asked without looking at his friend.

"Yes," Hanji said calmly and continued to study him. Levi nodded and reached out to take a sip of his tea. As he didn't say anything else, Hanji continued after a moment of silence; "Would you care to join me?"

She didn't know why she had asked him. She didn't expect him to say yes, but when he nodded after taking another sip of his tea, a smile spread on her face. It was sad, and she hated to see him like this. He probably still wouldn't tell her about his troubles, but the fact that he had agreed to go to the night-club with her, made her feel like not all hope was lost.

Shortly after, Levi got up and went to the bathroom. Hanji heard the water run in the shower, and they got prepared to leave without talking to each other.

 

* * *

 

Eren had felt an emptiness in his heart all day, and through the last practice of the new act with Annie and Ymir, was the loneliest he had ever felt. Erwin had been satisfied with them, and neither of the girls had spit venomous comments at him that day, but he felt vulnerable and exposed on the stage with them, like a wounded animal.

He didn't dare hope to ever see Levi again, after the way he had left this morning. His chest hurt every time he thought about him. No matter how many men he would be forced to sleep with, he would always think about his nights with Levi. No matter how many lips he had to kiss, nothing would compare to the way Levi's lips had caressed his own. No matter what happened from now on, his heart would always lie with Levi.

Erwin inspected the costumes one last time as the two girls and Eren got ready for their performance. Eren felt anxious, but there was no way out. There never had been.

He took a deep breath and tried to empty his mind. The belly-dancer costume he wore was comfortable with the soft fabric falling from his hips and all the way down to his naked feet. The silver buttons covering his top rustled every time he breathed, and he could feel the chilly air on his thighs through the slits on the skirt, going all the way up to his hips. Thin shining chains were tied around his wrists, sliding over the floor as he moved. The thin black fabric of the skirt caressed his skin, and he focused on remembering the lyrics as Annie and Ymir got up on each side of him. They wore costumes similar to his, only Ymir's was in light blue colours and Annie's, pink. He refused to look at them, and hoped the performance would be over with fast without any kind of problems. He wouldn't think of Levi. He had to move on and make Erwin satisfied with his performance, for Mikasa's sake.

Erwin's voice sounded from the scene; "Monsieurs - this next performance is a rarity, even here at our lovely La Maison des Chats. Three of our finest dancers will be preforming the dramatic tale of a slave an her owners. The desperate want for freedom, and the hope for a way out becoming addictive. A slave, however, will have to learn to accept her fate."

Eren let a shaky sigh escape his lips and looked down as Erwin called out their names. The heavy curtain was pulled. He looked up again and was momentarily blinded by the light from the dance-hall. Annie and Ymir had each grabbed a chain and danced into the spotlight, moving their hips smoothly from side to side, as the music started playing. They pulled Eren onto the stage by the chains, and he slid in between them. He took a deep breath and prepared for Ymir to push him in front of them. He landed on the scene-floor as they had practiced, still with Annie and Ymir holding onto the chains.

 _"No matter how many times that you told me you wanted to leave,"_  Eren sang and closed his eyes as Ymir and Annie dragged him further out on the stage. He waited for a kick from Ymir to send him to his knees, and he landed on the stage-floor without making a sound.

 _"No matter how many breaths that you took you still couldn't breathe,"_  he sang, while never letting his voice get affected by the way the two girls pulled at the chains while they moved around him. Levi's sad eyes from the previous night kept haunting his mind as he let the words escape his lips. He tried to push the painter away from his conscience, but Levi had become a part of his very being. Now that it was all over, he realized how much Levi filled his mind; a constant voice in his head, whispering loving words that belonged in the past now.

 _"No matter how many nights that you'd lie wide awake to the sound of the poison rain,_  
 _Where did you go,_  
 _Where did you go,_  
 _Where did you go,"_  Eren continued and opened his eyes to look down at the audience. The silver on his top rustled for each word he sang, but the music was too loud for anyone else to notice. He felt caught in the bright light, exposed and humiliated by his role in the performance. The way Erwin had introduced the act made it clear to him, why they were doing this.

 _"As days go by,  
the night's on fire,"_  Annie and Ymir sang, and pulled Eren back on his feet. The rough treatment was painful, but Eren didn't care this time. His heart was burning a hole in his chest, as the memories of Levi refused to leave his mind.

 _"Tell me would you kill to save a life."_  As Eren let his pained voice echo through the dance-hall, something caught his eyes. He felt the girls pulling him in between them again and each letting a hand ghost over his naked stomach.

 _"Tell me would you kill to prove you're right,"_  Eren sang loudly as his eyes shot back to whatever caught his attention.

 _"Crash crash,  
Burn let it all burn,"_  he continued and locked eyes with Levi. He managed to kill the gasp threatening to escape his lips and looked away to not get distracted from his performance. His breath was shaking. Seeing Levi again was about the last thing he had expected, as he sat there by his usual table with Mister Darcy. Eren panicked for a moment, terrified that Levi's presence would be too distracting for him. He was right there, a few meters away, and Eren's eyes kept seeking back to the painter. He had been so sure he would never see him again, ever.

Eren hadn't seen him during the shows since the night he performed with  _'The Lovecats'_ , and suddenly it felt like nothing had ever happened between them. Levi's cold gaze was the exact same as the first time he saw him from the stage.

_"This hurricane's chasing us all underground."_

Levi clenched his teeth as Annie and Ymir's hands slid over Eren's tanned skin. He didn't notice the pained expression on Eren's face. All he saw was the girl's hands on Eren's young body. The young body that belonged to  _him_. Jealousy boiled through his body, and his hands suddenly felt sweaty.

Eren's eyes studied Levi, but their eyes never locked. He could feel Levi's eyes on him, and he hated it. For once, he hated that Levi was looking at him. He didn't want him to see him like this. He truly wished for Levi to see him as a human being, maybe even as an equal. As long as he was on stage, he was nothing but a filthy whore.

 _"No matter how many deaths that I die I will never forget,  
No matter how many lives that I live I will never regret,"_  Eren sang, and pulled at the chains. Ymir and Annie only pulled him closer between them with devious smirks playing on their lips, as they pulled his hair, rubbed his stomach and touched his neck. Eren felt sick as their hands were all over him. He felt trapped between Levi's burning eyes and the girl's cold hands.

_"There is a fire inside of this heart and a riot about to explode into flames."_

By the last word, Annie and Ymir finally let go of him, and he fell to his knees again. He caught the loose ends of the chains with each hand, as the girls wandered down between the tables, moving their hips from side to side to the beat of the music, hypnotizing the audience.

Levi's eyes remained locked on Eren, as the boy let the slits on his skirt slide open and show his naked thighs. Those gorgeous thighs that Levi had kissed so many times through the heated nights in Eren's room, were now exposed for everyone to eat up with their eyes. His fingers itched to cover Eren up, but he had to keep himself under control.

 _"Where is your God,_  
 _Where is your God,_  
 _Where is your God,"_  the three dancers sang. Eren's voice was low, almost a pleading whisper, while there was mock and power in Annie and Ymir's voices. Eren still tried to ignore Levi's presence. His body was working on it's own, while his head was somewhere else. He wanted to find out why Levi was there after the way he left that morning, but would it really make any difference? There was no way out, and they both knew what would happen after the show.

 _"Do you really want,_  
 _Do you really want me,_  
 _Do you really want me dead or alive,_  
 _To torture for my sins,"_  Eren almost screamed as he leaned back to expose his naked stomach and let his hands wander over his body. The chains rustled by the slow movement.

 _"Do you really want,_  
 _Do you really want me,_  
 _Do you really want me dead or alive,_  
 _To live a lie,"_  he continued and rolled his hips to the music. The muscles on his stomach moved smoothly, and the beads shone in the bright light, making his tanned skin seem even darker - even more delicious.

_"Tell me would you kill to save a life,  
Tell me would you kill to prove you're right."_

The empty feeling Levi had had all day was long gone. The anger stirred in his stomach and mixed with the jealousy provoked by all the hungry eyes on Eren.  _His_  Eren. The love of his life.

He emptied his glass of whiskey and slammed it down on the table. He could feel Hanji's eyes on him, but he didn't care. He couldn't think straight any more, and he needed to drown that possessive need for Eren. That was the only way to keep himself under control.

_"Crash crash,_  
 _Burn let it all burn,_  
 _This hurricane's chasing us all underground."_

The jealousy was eating Levi up from the core of his very being and memories of his time with Eren ran through his mind and made his head an even bigger mess than it already was. Thinking back at all the times Eren had squirmed under him, moaned against his ear, begged him to make love to him - he couldn't keep all that to himself any more. Someone else would take his place later that night.

He wished he could turn back the time and lock it in a moment where they were together, alone, in love. Back when everything was okay as long as they were together. Back when there was still hope to steal Eren away, and spend the rest of his life with him. What they had, used to be the most beautiful thing in the world, but this - this poisonous place with the devil himself behind the wheel, disguised as a charming and tall blonde, was dark enough to ruin even the purest feelings of love.

The whiskey only made Levi's anger grow stronger and he felt a thin layer of sweat cover his neck. He moved in his seat, unable to keep himself fully under control. He crossed his arms over his chest and clenched his fists.

 _"The promises we made were not enough,"_ Eren sang and jumped from the stage to the floor, still with the thin chains in his hands. He landed gracefully in front of a table, without making a sound.

 _"The prayers that we have prayed were like a drug,"_ he continued and leaned in over a man by one of the front tables. Levi's eyes narrowed as the man let his fingers move over Eren's hips and placed a tip under the edge of his skirt. Eren's hips worked their magic right in front of his face, and the man's eyes turned dark with desire.

 _"The secrets that we sold were never known."_ Eren slid to the next table and knelt down in front of another man, who studied his movements with hungry eyes. As Eren got up again and turned around, the man grabbed his ass and placed a tip under his clothes.

Eren kept a straight face, but he hated this. He felt the rough hands through the thin fabric and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to remain calm. He had never liked being treated like this, but after he had met Levi, he hated being touched by anyone but the painter. And with Levi watching, it felt like he was deceiving him.

Eren moved to the next table, placed next to Levi and Hanji's, but before he could manage to throw himself at the stranger, seated by that table, Levi got up and grabbed Eren's wrist. The painter couldn't take it any more, and pulled Eren away from the other table. The boy slid into his arms and finally looked up at him with wide shining green eyes. It felt like the time froze for a moment as they studied each other, trying to read their lover's mind. Eren searched Levi's face for a sign; anything that would tell him that everything would be okay.

 _"The love we had, the love we had, we had to let it go,"_ Eren sang, his voice dripping with misery. He placed a hand on Levi's cheek and let his thumb run over his cheekbone gently. He breathed out as their eyes stayed locked, and Levi felt the urge to lean in and kiss him. To claim his lips, his body, everything. To show everyone who Eren belonged to. Right there, he was ready to force Eren to run away with him. He didn't care if Eren had to stay to save his sister from her gruesome fate; he wanted Eren to leave with him. Now.

Ymir and Annie had moved their way back to Eren and grabbed the chains again. As they pulled Eren away, the boy's eyes filled with tears. He slid out of Levi's grip, while the painter kept his eyes on him. He had been within his reach, but he hadn't reacted while he had the chance.

_"Tell me would you kill to save a life."_

Eren was dragged back onto the stage, and he had to break the eye-contact with Levi.

_"Tell me would you kill to prove you're right."_

The three dancers moved their hips as one, while Eren kept singing. His cat-ears popped out and the audience cheered. Eren looked down at Levi again, but only for a moment.

 _"Crash crash,_  
 _Burn -"_ Eren's voice became a painful scream as Ymir pushed him back down on his knees " _\- let it all burn,  
_ _This hurricane's chasing us all underground."_

Eren tried to keep his calm, but the look Levi had given him while he held his cheek, was more than he could bear. Those dark pained eyes, searching for something Eren would never be able to give. He could give him his heart and his love, but never his life.

He remembered telling Levi how he wasn't allowed to fall in love. He had crossed a line that was never meant to be crossed, and now he had to pay. He had hurt the only man he had ever loved, wrapped him in a spin of lies and secrets. He could spend the rest of his life struggling to earn Levi's love, but they would never be able to live happily ever after. Levi would never be able to trust him; a whore, a slave, doomed to work for a greedy man until Erwin disposed of him.

His heart felt like it was about to burst as new tears formed in his eyes. He wished Levi would just leave and remember him as he was when they were alone; the real Eren, the one that loved him more than anything else in this world. Not like this; humiliated. Shown off as the whore he was. Treated like the slave he would always be.

 _"Do you really want,"_ Eren sang in a loud and pained tone. Heavy tears ran down his cheeks and sparkled in the bright stage-light. He pulled his hair as the muscles on his stomach tightened to keep a sob from escaping his lips.

_"Do you really want me."_

Eren was pulled back to his feet by Ymir, and the two girls tied his hands together behind his back. Ymir let her hand slide under his skirt to show off his thigh to the entire room.

_"Do you really want me dead or alive."_

Eren's voice became more and more like screams as he sang. Levi was probably the only one in the audience who knew how true those cries were. Eren wasn't putting up an act now. He was desperate to get away, to be free again. The sounds escaping his mouth sounded like it came from a terrified animal, cornered up without any chance of getting out.

_"To torture for my sins."_

Eren was desperate to stop the act and dive into Levi's arms. Begging him to stay, yet asking him to leave. He wanted Levi to go, to save the last pieces of his torn heart and carry on with his life. To forget all about Eren and pretend all of this never happened. But the selfish side of him, wanted the painter to stay. To spend the rest of his life in Paris and just be by his side, no matter how painful it would be for both of them. His mind was tearing him apart and he let more tears fall, while gasping for air.

_"Do you really want."_

Levi clenched his teeth as Annie looked down at him over Eren's shoulder while her finger-tips danced over Eren's abdomen. She smirked and leaned in to lick all the way up Eren's neck, finishing off by biting his ear.

Levi felt the rage rush through his body. The jealousy was driving him mad as he again noticed every man in the room was ready to attack Eren, like hungry carnivores around a piece of fresh meat. He was breathing hard, feeling the urge to rip out the eyes of everyone who dared to look at Eren like that.

_"Do you really want me."_

Levi couldn't bare to see him like this. He wanted Eren to look at him again, wishing for a power stronger than anything else to save them, if only Eren would look at him. But he didn't. The tears kept falling from the boy's eyes, and Levi felt his heart break over and over for each tear that ran down Eren's cheeks. This was his fault. It was his fault Eren was in such a pain now; if he had never come here or insisted on spending time with him, none of this would have happened. They wouldn't have fallen in love, and Eren would never have to make the impossible choice between the painter and his sister.

Levi's eyes narrowed as he watched the girls' hands roam over Eren's body. They pulled at his clothes, exposing as much of his body as possible without revealing his gender. The painter's head had stopped working and his body was a mess of anger and deep-felt pain over seeing his lover like that.Levi couldn't hide his feelings, and by now, he didn't even care to try. He could feel Hanji's eyes on him again, but his own were still locked on Eren.

_"Do you really want me dead or alive."  
_

Levi's rage was about to overflow, when he noticed someone in the corner of the stage, partly hidden behind the curtain. He felt icy blue eyes studying his reactions, and looked up to lock eyes with Erwin. The blonde sent him a vicious smile and the words his lips formed was clear to the painter, even though he couldn't hear them;  _'She's mine.'_  Erwin's eyes shone with victory as he slid back behind the curtain.

Levi made a move to get up, as the blood rushed in his ears. He was ready to walk backstage and beat Erwin senseless, but he felt a warm hand upon his own before he managed to rise to his feet. He looked over the table at Hanji, who sent him a warning glance and tightened her grip on his hand.

 _"To live a lie -"_ Eren finished the song and breathed in sharply. His body was shaking and it felt like Annie and Ymir's hands had left burning prints wherever they had touched him. He felt sick and violated; he had been used to it through so many years now, but after meeting Levi he just couldn't stand it any more.

As the music died out, the audience cheered loudly. Annie and Ymir bowed and tugged at the chains on Eren's hands, forcing him to do the same. Banknotes were thrown onto the stage and the two girls moved around to collect the tips, earning them a few extra as they wiggled their hips and showed off their smooth curves.

Eren didn't care about the money. His eyes searched the crowd, when he felt someone drag him backwards by the chains. Erwin had grabbed him and forced him backwards, almost making him trip. Eren looked back up at his boss, who sent him a smug smile. It was enough to tell Eren that he didn't have much time to prepare himself for his next job.

He turned his head to look back down at the audience. A table on the front-row was completely empty. Levi had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments, they're greatly appreciated! Next chapter will hopefully be up in a week or so.


	13. Sex Sells, Love Kills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi finally tells Hanji all about him and Eren, and it turns out she's more than willing to help him.  
> Eren is heartbroken but he has to get ready for his next job.

"Levi! Wait!"

It was dark outside the night-club; only the light radiating from the sign of La Maison des Chats illuminated the street, as Levi headed towards the shadows.

Levi turned around and faced Hanji, who had grabbed his shoulder. The fury burned in his eyes, and he just wanted to shake her off and leave. He didn't really care where he would go, as long as it was far away from the night-club, far away from Erwin, and far away from his broken heart.

"What?" he yelled back and ran his hands through his hair, trying to calm himself down.

"What is this all about?" Hanji asked, refusing to let go of him. Levi tried to avoid her gaze, but it was obvious how uncomfortable he felt. "Tell me what's going on," Hanji continued and locked eyes with her friend. This time she wouldn't let him get away.

Levi swallowed hard as angry tears formed in the corners of his eyes. He had always preferred to handle his problems by himself, but right now he really needed a friend. And she was still there for him, even after a week of bad moods and ignoring each other - she was standing there in front of him, offering her help.

He buried his face in his hands and took a few deep breaths.

"Levi..." Hanji said gently, and took a step closer. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and dragged him off the main-street, to give them a bit of privacy. Levi was shaking as he tried to breathe normally. He leaned his back against a building in a dark alley and took a deep shaky breath. Hanji pulled a small bottle of rum out of her inner-pocket and handed it over to Levi. He took a sip, grimaced and emptied half of the bottle.

"Come on, Levi, talk to me," Hanji said softly and offered him a comforting smile.

"I-I ..." Levi stuttered and ran his hands through his hair again. His head was a mess; it was beyond a mess, it felt like he was turning completely mad. "I just ..." He tried to find the right words, but he had no idea where to start. What was even relevant to mention? It didn't really matter. It was over. "I can't ..."

"Cat got your tongue?" Hanji teased, trying to lighten the mood a bit and get her friend to open up to her.

"No," Levi said and finally looked up at her, "He's got my heart, Hanji."

Hanji studied his pained face with wide eyes, wondering if she had heard correctly. She didn't say anything, but waited for him to continue. Levi sighed and took another sip.

"I love Eren. So much so that 'love' does not even begin to describe the depths of my feelings for him, and I don't want to live without him. I know you think he's just a ... whore," the last word was hard to get across his lips, "but he's not. Eren is not working there out of his own will, he has no other choice, Erwin is forcing him. He has his sister hidden in the basement. He threatened to kill her if he ever tried to disobey or run away."

Hanji felt her lips part in surprise, but held her tongue. Levi was finally opening up to her and however shocking it was, she would listen. She tried to process what he had just told her, wondering how all this could have happened right under her nose, without her knowing anything. She wished he would have told her about it sooner. She didn't want Levi to get caught up in anything with a prostitute, but if all this was true - if Eren was really forced to work at La Maison des Chats against his own will, then it was a completely different matter.

"I can't - I feel like I can't breathe, knowing that he is in there, about to ..." Levi trailed off, not able to say the words out loud. He let out a shaky breath and rubbed his eyes, trying to calm himself down again. Hanji pushed the bottle up to his mouth again and he took another sip. "I know you think I'm letting him use me; that a lousy prostitute doesn't know what love is. But I love him, Hanji. And I know he loves me, I can feel it. You probably don't believe me, but -"

"Don't take me for a cold heartless bitch, Levi," Hanji cut him off and sent him another gentle smile, "I know love comes in many shapes and forms, and rarely in ways that makes much sense. Take another sip and tell me what happened. From the beginning."

Levi sat down on a box in the alley, resting his back against the wall. He didn't care about how dirty it was, it didn't matter. He told Hanji about how he had spend time talking to Eren and ended up getting drunk and kissing him on the balcony. How Eren had come to the apartment to return his money because he didn't want Levi to see him as a prostitute, and how they had spend every single night together ever since. He told her everything Eren had told him about Mikasa and how they ended up at La Maison des Chats. About his last talk with Erwin and that Eren was supposed to sleep with one of his benefiters that night. After he finished off, Levi looked up at Hanji, who seemed to be deep in thought. She pulled off her glasses, and began pacing back and forth in the alleyway, while tapping the edge of her glasses against her temple. Levi sighed and emptied the bottle of rum. It felt good to finally let everything out, but it still seemed hopeless. Eren was probably in his room now, getting ready for his client. Wearing the silky robe around his slender body, or lying naked on the bed. Levi hid his face in his hands again, trying to erase the image of Eren with someone else from his mind.

"You should have told me all of this sooner," Hanji then said and knelt down before Levi. He looked up at her with a confused expression.

"What difference would that have made? There's nothing we can do," Levi said resignedly, "I already talked to Erwin, he will never let Eren and Mikasa go."

"Maybe we could steal them away without Erwin's approval," Hanji said and sent her friend a sly grin.

Levi raised his eyebrow at her, wondering if he had heard correctly. Maybe his mind was really starting to play tricks on him, but it sounded like she offered to help him get Eren and Mikasa out of there, despite the fact that Erwin would refuse to let that happen.

"Are you aware of what you are saying?" Levi asked, still searching Hanji's face, "Are you really willing to ruin your friendship with Erwin because of ... me?"

"You're my best friend, Levi," Hanji said and leaned in to brush the hair away from his face, "Besides, what is a superficial friendship with an owner of a whorehouse compared to a possible adventure with you?"

Levi stared at her for a moment, wondering if the rum had made him completely lose his mind, or if she really was that crazy. Hanji sent him a wide smile and continued; "I have an idea, but it depends on how far you're willing to go to save Eren?"

"I'd die for him," Levi said and locked eyes with Hanji.

"Oh, good," she said and got back on her feet, "No worries then."

Levi got up too, but before he could ask her what she meant, she dragged him back towards the apartment. He looked back at the night-club, and felt a pinch in his chest as they walked away. She leaned in to make sure no one could hear her as she began telling about her idea. Levi didn't say anything but listened closely until they entered Hanji's apartment and she finished off by sending him a searching look, waiting for his response.

"Is this ..." Levi started but trailed off. He wasn't even sure what to ask for, because her idea was far from bulletproof, but he hadn't been able to come up with a plan himself, even though he had spent a week thinking.

"Make up your mind, Levi," Hanji said and looked at her pocket watch, "The show will end soon, and we don't have much time."

"Fine," he said and Hanji smiled as his usual calm expression settled on his face again. She went to the bedroom and rummaged through a suitcase before returning to him with an object at the size of his forearm, wrapped in a piece of cloth. Levi hid it under the hem of his pants and pulled his jacket over to hide the rest of it.

"Go talk to Erwin," Hanji said and pushed Levi towards the door, "I'll meet up with you later."

Levi didn't answer. He shut the door behind him and went back to La Maison des Chats one last time.

 

* * *

 

Eren looked at the empty seat by the table, as Erwin dragged him away. A low sob left his throat as tears formed in his eyes. He didn't care if Erwin saw it; by now, Eren was certain Erwin knew everything. He stumbled as Erwin pulled the chains, but the blonde caught him before he landed on the floor behind the stage.

"Wipe that sad expression off your face," Erwin said as he unchained the boy without feeling the need to be particularly gentle towards him, "No one wants to pay for a crying whore."

Eren didn't answer. He wished his tears were enough to keep every client away forever, but he knew it wouldn't make a difference. He felt completely empty inside. The pain in his chest made him feel dizzy and he tried to take deep breaths as Erwin removed the last chain.

"Go change now," Erwin said coldly, "You know how Monsieur Bossard prefers it."

"Yes, Monsieur," Eren said and lowered his head. He knew a little too well how Monsieur Bossard enjoyed watching him in pain and trying to hold pack his screams. Eren could feel his stomach turn by the thought, and it only added to the tearing pain he felt deep in his heart. He left Erwin without exchanging more words, and went for his room.

Gunther was on guard and awake, but Eren ignored him as he entered his room and shut the door. As the chilly air hit his face, he sunk down with his back against the door. The tears pushed against his eyes, and alone in his room, he let them flow. He pulled his knees up and rested his head against them. His shoulder shook as he silently cried.

He missed Levi more than ever. It wasn't like he wasn't able to live without him - he just didn't want to. The pain was writhing deep within him; he missed him with every fibre of his being, and the heartache made him choke on his sobs. He didn't care if Gunther could hear him, he didn't care about anything. Deep down, he still cared about Mikasa of course, but right now his hurt feelings were taking over his mind and body. It felt as if his head was about to split open, and all his feelings would disgorge in a huge cascade of suppressed pain, finally releasing his wounded soul.

With the tears still falling heavily from his eyes, he crawled towards the bed. He got rid of the costume and dug his face into the sheets. They smelled like Levi, and Eren strangled another sob as he buried his face in the familiar smell. He wanted to enjoy the only thing Levi had left behind for as long as possible, but even his scent would fade away in time.

Eren grabbed the pillow Levi had used to sleep on and hid it under his bed. He didn't care if it got dirty, he had to make sure no one else's smell would drown it. He cried into the sheets, but it didn't make it any easier. Levi's scent made the memories dance behind his eyelids, and added to the devastating pain he felt in his heart. He would give anything to see Levi one last time, but he knew he would never be able to settle on the fact that they could never be together. If only this heartbreaking pain would stop; it was unbearable, impossible to live with. Right now he didn't care that Erwin's meeting with his benefiter could end at any moment, and Monsieur Bossard could be on his way to Eren's room. He didn't care about the physical pain that was sure to come. He didn't care that life would go on; that the earth would keep moving, the sun would keep shining and the moon would keep glowing. He felt like he was dying.

 

* * *

 

Levi waited outside the night-club, hiding in the shadows. He waited for the perfect opportunity to sneak back inside, without getting noticed. He could hear the music from the dance-hall, but as people slowly began to leave, it became clear that the main show had ended. He looked at his pocket-watch and hoped he would be able to make it in time.

He noticed a large group of men walking out the great front-doors, and decided to move. He slid in between the group, hoping the door-men hadn't seen him. No one yelled after him, and he took a deep breath as soon as he felt out of danger. He noticed how he had forgotten to breathe properly as he waited, and took a moment to calm his nerves. He praised his short stature as he moved through the hallway without getting noticed.

Being familiar with the many hallways in the night-club after visiting so many times, he soon found an unguarded door, leading to another dark corridor. Levi looked back over his shoulder, making sure no one was keeping an eye on him, before silently closing the door behind him. He wasn't sure, but he hoped it led behind the stage. He didn't want to walk through the dance-hall if he could avoid it; the doormen and probably a few other staff-members had seen Hanji and him leave, and he would prefer to keep everyone unaware of his return.

After making sure no one else was in the corridor, Levi moved fast and silently towards the door in the other end. He could hear the music from the dance-hall behind the wall on his right, which told him he was on the right track. It was hard to see anything, but he didn't have time to fumble through the darkness. He stumbled, but managed to catch himself and picked up his pace. His heart was pounding in his chest as he came closer to his target. He noticed how tightly his fists were clenched and tried to relax his muscles, but it was hard. He was nervous, but he couldn't let it take over.

As Levi finally reached the other end of the hallway, he took another deep breath, and brushed off his sweaty palms on his pants. He opened the door slightly and was met with the dim light from behind the stage. After making sure no one was near by, he slid out and closed the door again. A couple of girls were standing a few meters away from him, but they hadn't noticed him. The music was a lot louder back there, and he hoped his dark clothes would be enough the hide him in the shadows. He moved slowly against the wall, constantly keeping an eye out for the girls, while still making sure not to run into anyone else.

Levi reached another door. It squeaked as he opened it, and he froze. He looked back at the girls, hoping none of them had heard him. He wasn't sure if he was being paranoid, but he could swear a pair of brown eyes caught his own for a moment, but none of the dancers reacted to the sound. Levi swallowed hard as he noticed how dry his mouth was, and attempted to open the door again. This time he managed to do it slowly enough to keep the door from revealing his position, and he moved through it without another sound.

The hallway he found himself in, was illuminated by oil-lamps along the walls. No one was around, but he could hear giggles and loud moans, from the many doors along the beautifully decorated walls. He pulled up his collar, hoping it would be enough to hide his face, should he run into someone who knew who he was.

Levi walked fast down the corridor, and the sounds died out as he turned around a corner, heading for the back of the building. He looked back over his shoulder, afraid that someone had spotted him, but he was alone.

As he reached the last corner, he stopped. He leaned his back against the wall, and took another deep breath. The clothed object from Hanji dug into his lower back, and he straightened his jacket to make sure it would stay hidden. His hands shook slightly but it didn't matter. As long as he kept them hidden or occupied, his nervousness wouldn't show; he was determined to succeed and he knew he could rely on his usual calm expression.

He looked around the corner and was relieved to see that there was no one guarding the last door between himself and his goal. The final few meters towards the door to Erwin's office, felt like he walked in slow-motion. Then he heard voices coming right from behind the door and saw the handle turn. He quickly moved backwards and grabbed the handle of the nearest door. As he ripped it open, he begged to all he had ever believed in, that no one would be inside the room. It appeared to be a broom-closet, and he let out a sigh of relief as he pulled the door slightly ajar behind him, just in time for the other door to be opened.

Levi slowly pulled the door almost shut, only allowing a hair-thin beam of light inside the closet. He crept closer to the door and held his breath as he listened to the voices in the hallway.

"I'll be going then," an unfamiliar voice said.

"Please enjoy yourself," Erwin's voice sounded pleased, "Do you want me to show you to Chasseuse's room?"

"No, I've been there so many times by now, I should be able to find it," the first voice answered. Levi grit his teeth and moved a bit closer. He wanted to catch a glimpse of the benefiter about to visit Eren. He had to know who it was, what he looked like.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you," Erwin said, "as always."

A few footsteps rang through the hallway, before Levi heard the benefiters voice again; "The pleasure will be all mine."

Levi heard Erwin laugh and close the door to his office, and the painter looked through the crack in the door, as the benefiter walked past the closet. Light hair and an undercut was all he managed to see, along with an expensive-looking suit. He swung a dark cane around his fingers before letting it hit his other palm with a loud smack.

Levi leaned back against the back of the closet and closed his eyes for a moment. His heart begged for him to run to Eren's room and make sure this horrible man never got a chance to touch him again, but he knew he had to talk to Erwin. He just really hoped this man wouldn't hurt Eren.

As soon as he felt safe that the benefiter was out of hearing range, Levi gently pushed the door open and moved back into the hallway. He walked up to the door to Erwin's office and knocked. The door unlocked and Erwin's face appeared from the other side. His blue eyes fell on Levi, and he looked confused for a moment before pulling on his usual complacent expression.

"Monsieur Levi," he said and pushed the door open, "I didn't expect to see you here."

Levi felt the anger boil in him at Erwin's comment. The blonde didn't even care to hide how satisfied he was with the entire situation. But Levi refused to let his hatred show.

"I'm full of surprises," he said and forced a slight smile upon his lips.

"Indeed you are," Erwin agreed and straightened his back to look down at the painter, "Now, what can I do for you? And please - don't ask me to let Chasseuse go. That conversation is getting a bit old."

"I am actually here to discuss business," Levi said and moved past the blonde to enter his office, "If you don't mind?"

"Really?" Erwin asked as he closed and locked the door. Levi turned his back to the blonde and let a silent sigh of relief escape his lips. The fact that Erwin had let him into his office, made his mission a lot easier. He looked nonchalantly around the office, hoping Erwin didn't notice his searching eyes. "What kind of business?" Erwin asked as he moved over and sat down behind his desk.

Levi sat down on the arm-rest of the chair on the opposite side of the desk and locked eyes with Erwin.

"I need another job," he said calmly and hid his shaking hands along his sides, "I'm going to stay in Paris for a while."

Erwin studied the painter for a long moment, and Levi breathed calmly and held the eye-contact.

"Very well then," Erwin said and let a smile settle on his face. He leaned back in the chair and placed his hands behind his head, "Make yourself comfortable and let's talk about a new job for you."

Levi forced a smile upon his face and pulled off his jacket. He hung it over the back of his chair and sat down at the arm-rest again. The object hidden behind his back scraped against the wood on the chair, but he hoped it wasn't audible. Erwin studied him, but he seemed relaxed yet slightly curious about Levi's sudden change of attitude.

"I'm interested in anything you have to offer," Levi said and let his eyes fall to the floor. He let them wander over the wooden surface without moving his head, wondering where the entrance to the basement was hidden.

"I have a few minor projects, but it's hardly something a famous painter would be interested in," Erwin said and moved in his seat.

"I will accept anything," Levi repeated and looked up at the blonde again. He felt the nervousness rise in his body again and had trouble controlling his breathing. He looked around the office; everything seemed completely normal. Unless the passage to the basement was hidden behind one of his many book-shelves, it had to be underneath the heavy carpet right under Levi's chair. He let a smirk cross his lips. "All I ask for as a payment, is Eren's freedom."

"I thought you said you weren't here to talk about Chasseuse," Erwin said and huffed out a resigned laugh.

"You're right," Levi said. Before Erwin managed to say another word, Levi reached back and pulled the clothed item from his back. He jumped from the floor and slid over the desk while pulling out the blade Hanji had given him. Levi swung it towards the blonde but stopped right before it touched his neck. "I'm not here to talk about it. I'm here to make sure you let both Eren  _and_  Mikasa go."

Erwin glared up at him, with a furious look in his eyes. Then he let his face change back to smugness again.

"So you bought the tragic story about the sister," the blonde said, "Don't make a fool of yourse -"

"Shut up!" Levi hissed and pressed the blade against Erwin's neck, "You are the one trying to make a fool of me! I am not leaving without Eren! If you treasure your life, I suggest you let his sister go -  _now!_ "

Fury slid back into Erwin's blue eyes as they locked with Levi's. Levi stared back down at him while the blood rushed through his ears. His mind had gone numb and all he could think about was getting out of this alive. There was no way back.

"You are already a fool!" Erwin shouted and pushed Levi's hand away in a swift movement. Levi moved back over the desk, as Erwin stood up and pulled out a knife from an open drawer. Whether he had expected Levi to threaten him, or if he was always prepared to defend himself, was impossible to know, and right now, Levi couldn't care less.

He attacked again without giving Erwin time to make a move. As the painter jumped over the desk again, he aimed a kick at the blonde, hoping to send him right back into his seat. Erwin moved to the side, resulting in Levi landing in the chain; kneeling down and protecting his torso with his knees, he held the blade high, ready to defend himself. And just in time before Erwin swung his own knife at him.

Levi ducked his head and barely managed to avoid Erwin's attack. The adrenaline was pumping through his system. He jumped down and kicked the chair towards Erwin. Erwin stumbled as the heavy piece of furniture collided with the lower part of his body, and Levi was over him again. He aimed the knife for his neck, but Erwin's hand jerked up to protect the exposed skin. Levi's blade rammed through the hand, and Erwin let out a painful yelp as the blood began running down his arm, colouring the sleeve of his shirt a dark red.

"Fils de une pute," Erwin sneered and kicked the chair away to get to the painter.

Levi stepped back as Erwin swung his blade against him with new strength. His blue eyes were wild like an animals, glued to Levi. Levi moved back around the desk to avoid the storm of attacks from the blonde.

The blood splattered from Erwin's injured hand as he desperately tried to return the favour. Levi managed to stay out of his reach, but he was scared now. Erwin was taller and bigger than him, and the painter had never before been in a situation, where he had to fight for his life. As soon as Hanji had mentioned the idea of taking Erwin down to save Eren and Mikasa, Levi had been dead-set on executing the plan, but he realized now, that he hadn't really thought it through.

He jumped back once more as Erwin flipped the desk. Books, paperwork and bottles flew to all sides as the massive piece of furniture slammed against the floor. Levi took the opportunity to attack. He swung the blade, hoping to disable Erwin's other hand and thereby make him unable to hold onto his knife. Levi wasn't that lucky; Erwin turned and aimed a kick at the painter, hitting him in the stomach and sending him flying back over the overturned desk. Levi landed on his back and smashed his head against a pile of books that was spread over the floor as a result from the flipped desk. The pain shot through his head and he shut his eyes for a short moment. He felt a heavy pressure on his neck and hissed as he opened his eyes again. Erwin was kneeling down above him, holding him down with his forearm against his throat. Levi could feel the blood run from the wound on Erwin's arm, down his own neck. The knife had landed out of his reach. He tried to push Erwin away, but the blonde used his entire weight to hold the painter down.

"You really are a fool, Levi," Erwin hissed. His blue eyes shone with rage and vengeance as he looked down at the painter.

Levi glanced to his side, only to realize his knife was indeed too far away from him to get his hands on. He straightened his arm as far as possible, but Erwin kept him in a firm grip.

"You know, you're not the first one here, who has fallen in love with a whore," Erwin said and pointed his knife at Levi's jaw. He was breathing heavily and the charming façade was long gone. A psychotic smile was playing on his lips as he spit his words at Levi. "It's sad though.. We could have become great friends."

"N-no," Levi whispered and straightened his arm even further to reach his weapon. It was no use.

A sharp pain shot through his jaw, as Erwin let the blade slide over his skin. Levi looked up at the blonde, who returned his glance with an amused expression. As the blood began dripping down his neck and mixed with Erwin's, Levi realized Erwin was playing with him.

He was terrified. He had never been afraid to die, but only because he had never had anything other than beauty to live for. But now he had Eren; no matter what it would take, no matter how many years he would have to stay in Paris, Eren gave him a reason to live. Levi loved him from the bottom of his heart - so why was this happening? Why couldn't they be allowed to be happy together?

Erwin leaned down and pressed harder onto Levi's throat. Levi gasped for air. His head felt dizzy from when his head hit the book and the lack of oxygen. He had to do something; he couldn't let Eren rot up here.

Something shiny caught his eye, and Levi reacted before even thinking. His hand closed around the neck of the whiskey-bottle and he swung it against Erwin's head. It smashed against his temple and scratched over his left eye. A rain of whiskey and shards fell over Levi and he tried to cover his face as Erwin jerked back with a loud scream. As he covered his injured eye with his bloody hand, he stumbled backwards, while yelling profanities at the painter.

Levi grabbed his own knife and got back on his feet. He could feel several cuts on his face from the shattered bottle, but he didn't care.

"I'll kill you, I'll fucking kill you, you bastard!" Erwin yelled and swung his knife from side to side without a clear target. It was obvious he had trouble assessing the distance with only one eye, and Levi managed to avoid the knife. He ducked his head to avoid another attack, and thrust his knife upwards. It penetrated Erwin's upper arm and he dropped the knife. Levi grabbed the handle with both hands and twisted the knife. Erwin screamed as the blood dyed his shirt, and he stepped back. His foot hit the desk and he fell backwards, as Levi pulled the knife back. Erwin landed on the floor with an echoing thud, trying to stop the heavy bleeding from his arm.

Levi took a deep breath and stepped over the desk. He leaned down over the desperate blonde and lifted his knife once again.

"I will free Eren from this hell you have put him in," Levi proclaimed and spit out a bit of blood.

While Erwin kept fumbling around to find something to defend himself with, Levi swung the knife at his throat. Shock lingered in Erwin's uninjured eye, as the knife slit his throat. The blood flushed from the wound and covered the collar of his shirt and ran down his chest. Levi's cold glare held the eye-contact as Erwin gasped; a bubbly, rasping noise sounded from his throat.

Levi studied him as Erwin's eye turned empty. The bubbly sound repeated itself as Erwin exhaled one last time, and his body went limp.

Levi dropped the knife and stood up. He studied the dead man in front of him and let out a relieved sigh. He didn't want to think too much about what had just happened. He looked at his pocket-watch and was taken aback by how little time had went by. It felt like they had been fighting for hours. He was exhausted, but he couldn't allow himself to rest now. There was still a long way to go before Eren would be safe, and Levi intended to get to him before the benefiter managed to have his way with him.

Levi stepped back over the desk and pushed it back towards the wall to get to the carpet underneath. There was blood everywhere and he could feel it drip from his jaw, but he had to keep moving. While sending out prayers that Eren was still untouched, he pushed the carpet to the side, and just as he thought, there was a hidden trapdoor. But there was a lock too.

Levi pulled the handle, but nothing happened. Terrified that he had reached a dead end, he jumped back over the desk to search Erwin's corpse for the key. The blood was pooling under the dead man, and Levi felt uncomfortable about touching him. He bit his lip, forcing himself to work faster as he searched through all his pockets, but found nothing.

"Shit," Levi hissed and sat down on the floor. He ran a blood-stained hand through his hair, not caring about the mess it made, and searched his mind for a solution. He had come so far - he had killed a man - just to get stuck here.

He got up again, determined to break the lock if that was what it would take to get down to the basement. He had to keep on moving. As he stepped over the desk again, his foot hit something; it was too small for him to feel, but he heard the low sound of metal against metal. He looked down and saw two keys, held together by a metal ring, lying in the shadow of the desk. He reached down as a spark of hope shot through his chest. He jumped over the desk and landed on his knees by the trapdoor.

He tried to insert the first key, but it didn't fit. He sent out a silent prayer as he tried to insert the second key. He twisted it and he let out a relieved sound, as a low click could be heard from the lock. Levi opened the door and stared into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta harem for working their asses off to get this out already.


	14. Flight in the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding the key to the basement, Levi is finally able to keep his word and get Mikasa out. The way back to Eren's room ends up being more difficult that he expected. And the longer it takes, the longer Eren will spend alone with the benefiter.

Levi made sure the door to Erwin's office was locked properly before he returned to the trapdoor. He could see a ladder, but otherwise it was completely dark down there. He had no idea how deep the basement was, or if there was anything down there besides Mikasa. He hid the keys in his pocket, and made sure they wouldn't accidentally fall out. If he lost them down there, he would never be able to find them again.

He decided to play it safe and went back to the dead man behind the desk. He leaned down and grabbed Erwin under his arms, before he began pulling the heavy man towards the trapdoor. It was hard work and his hands slipped more than once, but he knew it would be a good idea to hide Erwin anyway. He could feel the blood run down his neck from the wound on his jaw, as he used all his strength to move the dead man.

Since there were two keys, he was pretty sure Mikasa wouldn't be right at the foot of the ladder, and so the basement would be a good place to hide the corpse. The blood smeared all over the office and the obvious sign of a struggle would be impossible to hide, but if no one knew about the basement, it would be wise to hide Erwin down there.

Levi finally got the blonde close enough to the trapdoor to kick him down the dark hole. He heard a thud as the body hit the floor with a sickening crack. As no other sounds followed, he deducted that it would be safe to climb the ladder. He looked around, searching for a lamp or anything that could light up the dark basement, but the only oil-lamp in Erwin's office had been shattered during their fight.

Levi got down on his knees and climbed down slowly. He wanted to move faster, to get to Eren as soon as possible. He tried to keep his mind calm; he had to stick to Hanji's plan, but he really just wanted to go directly to Eren and make sure no one touched him. At least he was a step closer to spending the rest of his life with Eren now.

The ladder was fragile and a few steps were missing. As he finally reached the end, he stepped on Erwin's corpse before placing both feet on the cold stone-floor. It was too dark to see anything, and Levi reached out to locate the walls. He began moving further into the basement, his fingers ghosting the moist walls. Levi squinted his eyes, but it was too dark for them to adjust. He had never been afraid of the darkness, but he felt completely defenseless in the pitch-black hallway. He listened carefully, hoping to hear a sign of Mikasa's presence or an attacker, should anyone be down there.

After walking into the darkness for what felt like an eternity, Levi's foot rammed into vertical surface. As he let his finger move over what felt like raw wood, his hand touched a handle. Hoping it was the door to Mikasa's cell, he knelt down and fumbled around the handle to locate a lock. As he finally found something that felt like a lock, he held his finger against it while pulling the two keys out of his pocket. He fumbled with the keys, before finally getting the right one into the lock. He turned it and slowly pushed the door open.

A small light from the corner of the room made him squint his eyes again. He looked around and scared dark eyes stared back at him from next to the lamp. The rest of the face was hidden behind black locks and a big red scarf.

"Mikasa?" Levi asked hoarsely and took a few steps into the cold room.

She didn't answer him, instead she crept further underneath the blankets surrendering her body. She looked like a frightened animal, trying to make herself as small as possible. But she never took her eyes away from the painter.

"Do you speak English?" Levi asked and moved closer slowly.

She just stared at him without moving a single muscle.

Levi looked down at his body and noticed the blood on his shirt. He suddenly became aware of the stinging pain on his face and remembered the many small cuts he got from the shards as he smashed the bottle against Erwin's face. He could understand if she was scared of him; he probably looked threatening.

"Don't be scared, okay?" he tried and lifted his hands to show her he didn't intend any harm. He tried to remember his limited French, but his head was too big of a mess. "I am here to get you out. I... I am going to get you and Eren out of here."

"Eren?" Mikasa's eyes widened at the mentioning of her brother.

"Yes, Eren. Your brother, Eren," Levi said, and knelt down in front of her.

"You're ... Levi?" Mikasa asked in poor English.

"Yes," Levi answered calmly and locked eyes with the girl.

"He talked about you," Mikasa continued, but was caught of guard by a violent series of coughs.

Levi moved closer and grabbed her shoulders gently to support her. She pushed him away with an ice cold hand and leaned down over a bowl. Levi frowned as she threw up. Mikasa wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt and looked up at the painter with wet eyes.

"Thank you, Monsieur," she said in a low voice, "But please, just take Eren and leave. I can barely move."

Levi studied her for a moment, wondering if he should do as she asked. She looked very sick and without her, he could get to Eren a lot faster. But she was Eren's only family, and Levi had promised both himself and Eren, that he would get them out of there.

"No, you're coming with us," Levi said and made a move to get them both on their feet.

"Monsieur, please," Mikasa insisted as he lifted her off of the thin mattress on the floor, "I appreciate your effort, but I will only be in your way. Please get my brother out of here. And take good care of him."

"Look, miss," Levi sighed, getting a bit impatient, "I just killed a man to get down here and find you. I don't care if you feel like you're going to die within an hour - you're coming with me."

Mikasa's eyes widened in horror when he mentioned the murder.

"Please, just -" Levi said and tried to put on a gentle expression, "Just come with me. You've been down here long enough. I will carry you."

Mikasa didn't answer, but she didn't protest either when Levi lifted her up gently and held her in his arms. After sending him a searching look, she slowly wrapped her slender arms around his neck. Chills ran down his spine as her cold hands touched his skin, but he shook it off. Levi reached down and grabbed the oil-lamp from the night-stand.

"Could you hold this, please?" he asked and held it up for Mikasa to grab. She took it without a word and held it out in front of them. She was light as a feather, and Levi wondered about the last time she had gotten a proper meal. It was hard to see how thin she really was through all the blankets and the scarf, but judging from her weight, she was close to starvation.

They moved down the dark hallway, now illuminated by the oil-lamp in Mikasa's hand. Levi noticed the bloody foot-prints on the floor growing more and more visible as they closed in on the ladder.

Mikasa's eyes widened as she saw a dark lump on the floor, a few meters ahead of them. She lifted the lamp to get a better look, and then looked up at Levi.

"Is that... Erwin?" she asked behind the scarf.

Levi studied her for a moment, trying to read her face, before he answered; "Yes."

"You did this?"

"Yes," Levi repeated. He kept studying her face, looking for a sign of approval or disgust. Even though it was her captor he had killed, he wasn't sure if she would approve of her brother being with a murderer.

Mikasa didn't say anything, but studied the corpse as they moved closer. When Levi stepped over the dead man, Mikasa spat at him and sent Erwin a death-glare through glassy eyes.

Levi gently lifted her over his shoulder and told her to hold on as tightly as possible, as he began climbing the ladder. It was difficult with all the blankets, and he was afraid the ladder wouldn't be able to hold the both of them. The wound on his jaw hurt as the coarse fabric scratched his face, but he knew he had to withstand. He could feel Mikasa's muscles tighten as she obviously tried to hold back a cough.

"Hang on, we're there in a few seconds," he whispered, trying to comfort her a bit. She let out a growl in return, not able to speak without beginning to cough.

Levi finally reached the top of the ladder and placed Mikasa on the edge before getting out of the hole himself. As soon as he let go of her, she broke down coughing again. He appreciated that she had held it back, but it didn't sound good at all. Maybe she was right and there really wasn't anything to do for her. Nonetheless, Levi still had to get her out.

As soon as she had stopped coughing, he lifted her off of the floor and placed her against the wall. She put down the lamp and looked around at the messy office; her face was expressionless as she looked at the blood-trails, the shattered glass and the overturned furniture. She remained silent.

Levi moved back to close and lock the trapdoor, before rolling the carpet back onto the floor. He moved a chair and a few other things onto the blanket and studied it for a moment to make sure it didn't stand out too much. He grabbed his jacket and the knife from the floor, before putting the keys back in his pocket. The longer it would take for anyone to find Erwin, the better. He wrapped the jacket around Mikasa and asked her to hold onto the knife after covering it up with the cloth.

Levi walked over to the door and listened, trying to hear if someone was out on the hallway. He made a sign for Mikasa to stay silent and she nodded. He unlocked the door and opened it slightly to peek out. He couldn't see or hear anything, and went back to get Mikasa before moving into the hallway. In the bright light from all the lamps, he could really see how pale she was. Her face was thin, like a little china doll, her eyes as glassy as one. A ripple of sympathy brushed through Levi as he handled her gently; how could Erwin have slept peacefully at night, doing the things he did?

Levi wrapped her arm around his neck and supported her, as he closed the door behind them and locked it tightly. Begging for his luck not to slip up now, he lifted her up in his arms again and walked as fast and silently as possible down the corridor. He stopped by the corner and looked around to see if anyone was there.

No one was around, but it felt way too risky to take the same route back to the stairs leading to the first floor. The fact that he was carrying Mikasa made them too visible, and they wouldn't have a chance of hiding if someone suddenly walked out of one of the rooms.

Levi put Mikasa back on her feet, as he tried to come up with a new plan. She leaned against the wall and wrapped the blankets tighter around her body. Her eyes studied the painter over the edge of the scarf; while she was more than grateful for being rescued from the basement, she knew she was slowing him down. It was obvious how much Levi cared for her brother, and she was ready to leave Eren in Levi's care.

"Please, just leave me here," she whispered, as her trembling legs gave in, and she slid down on the floor.

"Would you just concentrate on not dying?" Levi hissed, desperate to come up with a solution, "I am not leaving you, so just... don't die!"

Levi ran a hand through his hair; it was hard to think logically. He needed to get to Eren. Deciding to just run through the entire night-club if needed, he picked up Mikasa again. He took a deep breath and turned around the corner - only to stand eye to eye with a girl. Levi gulped and took a step back, as the brown eyes from behind the stage locked with his own.

"Mikasa..." Levi whispered, fumbling for the knife as he kept his eyes on the girl.

" _Mikasa?_ " Sasha repeated as her eyes widened, and she took a step closer. "Wait wait wait!" she continued and raised her hands, as Levi pointed the knife at her with a desperate look in his eyes.

"Move!" Levi yelled and held up the blade in warning. He didn't want to hurt more people than necessary, but he didn't want to waste any more time either. Eren needed him, and he couldn't let him down.

"Shh!" Sasha hissed and looked over her shoulder, to make sure no one had heard the painter's outburst. She pushed Levi's arm away and pulled down Mikasa's scarf to see her face. "I know you. You're Eren's sister. You were here -"

"- four years ago," Mikasa finished the sentence and Sasha paused.

"I thought you left without him. What happened to you?" the dancer asked, before looking up at Levi again, "And what happened to  _you?_ "

Levi looked from one girl to the other, completely confused about their conversation. He didn't really care to hang around and let them catch up,  _he needed to get going._

"Are you going to let us go, or do I really need to use this?" he hissed and raised the knife again.

"No, don't hurt me," Sasha hissed nervously, and took a step back. Her eyes wandered between Mikasa and Levi, obviously confused about their conditions. "I am not going to stand in your way, Monsieur. But you look like you need help."

"He's going to save Eren," Mikasa said hoarsely and looked up at Sasha, "I didn't leave four years ago - Erwin held me captive to make Eren stay."

"Y-you are going to bring Eren with you back to London?" Sasha asked and looked up at Levi with wide eyes.

Levi looked down at Mikasa; he knew this was a part of the plan he hadn't informed her about yet. Then he looked back up at Sasha and nodded; "That was the plan, yes."

"Monsieur, that is so romantic," Sasha whispered with bright eyes, "Rescuing his sister and getting them both out of here... I knew Eren didn't like it here, he always seemed so sad when he wasn't on stage, and the whole thing with Annie and Ymir, I just -"

"Look, we are kind of in a hurry here," Levi cut her of and pulled Mikasa up a bit to support her better, "I will gladly pay you to keep quiet about seeing us here, but we really need to get to Eren's room now."

"No, you don't have to pay me, Monsieur Levi!" Sasha exclaimed and waved her hands in front of her, "But, please - come with me. There's a quicker way to his room."

Sasha walked back the way Levi and Mikasa came from, but Levi hesitated. So far he had no good experience with trusting anyone inside these walls, except for Eren. He looked down at Mikasa, searching for an answer; she coughed lowly, trying to keep quiet.

"Come on, Monsieur, it's right over here," Sasha called and waved at the painter.

"Bloody hell," he cursed under his breath and gave Mikasa the knife again. He pulled her up in his arms again and ran after Sasha, who led him to a door in the back of the hallway. Behind the door was a staircase; Sasha led him up to the second floor and to another door. According to Levi's assumptions, this should be very close to Eren's room, and he gently sat Mikasa down next to the door.

Sasha opened the door slightly, and she and Levi looked into the hallway to make sure no one was around.

"Shit," Levi hissed and jerked back. He had forgotten all about Gunther. The guard was sitting at his usual spot, asleep, but there was no way they would be able to sneak past him and get into Eren's room without waking him up; even if they managed to do it, the damn benefiter would probably not stay quiet if they suddenly invaded the room. "Shit!"

Levi turned away and pulled his hair. He had come so far, but he had no idea how to get past the sleeping guard. He was frustrated, angry, but most of all terrified that even if he left Mikasa and Sasha where they were and ran directly into Eren's room, it would be too late.

He looked at his watch. He had already taken way too long to get there, and Hanji was probably already waiting for him. This couldn't be happening, he had to get to Eren. He had to make sure he was okay; that he was still untouched and he just had to see him.

"Give me the knife," he hissed and signaled for Mikasa to hand it over, "I'll slit his throat."

"No, wait!" Sasha said and blocked his way.

"I don't have time to wait any more," Levi growled and sent her a dangerous glare, "I don't care if I have to take down every single slimy Frenchman standing in my way! I will gladly cut my way to get to Eren!"

"You will get noticed if you kill a man right in the middle of the hallway," Sasha said, surprisingly calm, "Let me handle Monsieur Gunther." She bend down to stroke Mikasa's cheek and sent her a warm smile. "Please send me a letter and let me know how the story ends," she whispered and Mikasa nodded before trying to kill another series of coughs.

Sasha pushed up her breasts and ran a hand through her hair before walking into the hallway. Levi bend down to watch her from the crack in the door as she approached Gunther and woke him up as she straddled him on the chair.

"Are you never allowed to get a proper night's sleep, Monsieur Gunther?" she purred and locked eyes with him.

The guard looked completely dumbfounded for a moment, and Sasha leaned in to make sure he didn't spot Levi by the door. Gunther was apparently an easy victim for woman's wiles as he was completely caught up in whatever Sasha was doing to him.

"Please don't tell Monsieur Erwin I was asleep," he mumbled while staring at her breasts.

"Of course not, Monsieur, I would never take the risk of getting such a handsome man fired from this otherwise boring place," Sasha spoke lowly and leaned back a bit to give the guard a better look at her body, "How about I give you another reason to sleep on your watch?"

"I-I can't leave," Gunther said and looked back at the door to Eren's room, "I'm supposed to stay guard all night. Monsieur Erwin's order. But maybe another time?"

"Shit," Levi whispered under his breath. He didn't understand all they said, but from the look of it, it didn't seem like Sasha's plan was working.

"But I'm free now," Sasha pouted and sent Gunther her best puppy-eyes.

Gunther gulped and looked Sasha up and down again. "I really shouldn't leave..."

"What is she doing?" Mikasa asked and tried to move a little closer to get a look herself. Levi grabbed her by her shoulders to support her.

"Isn't Chasseuse supposed to only have one visitor tonight?" Sasha asked and fluttered her long lashes.

"Y-yes."

"Then you don't really have to stay guard, do you? I mean, why would you stay here and just listen to them, when you can come with me and ..."

Levi couldn't hear the last part of the sentence, as Sasha leaned in and whispered it against Gunther's ear. The guards eyes shone as she kept whispering to him, and they both got up. Sasha led him away from his post and down the hallway. She turned back and winked at Levi before disappearing with the guard behind her.

"She did it," Levi whispered, more to himself than to Mikasa. He was actually surprised at how easy Gunther was to persuade, but then he remembered that Eren would probably have the same effect on him.

He waited a few seconds before picking Mikasa up again and slowly kicked the door open. He moved quietly over to Eren's door and looked down the hallway to make sure no one was around.

"Can you stand yourself?" he whispered to Mikasa, and she nodded. He knew he had to move fast as soon as the door was open. If they attracted too much attention, they would be in deep trouble.

As he placed Mikasa on her own feet and she clung to Gunther's chair, Levi begged for Eren's room to be as dark as it normally was; hopefully he would be able to hide his face in the shadows and thereby not shed more blood than necessary - unless the benefiter had hurt Eren, of course.

Levi took a deep breath and opened the door.

Eren looked up as the light from the hallway shone through the open door, just as another hit from Monsieur Bossard's cane slammed over his rear. The dark figure standing in the door seemed awful familiar, but it couldn't be -

"Levi?" Eren gasped and tugged hard at the rope tying his wrists to the bed.

"What the -" Monsieur Bossard hissed as he raised his eyes to the intruder, but he didn't get the time to finish the sentence.

While Levi ran towards him, ready to murder the man who dared to hurt the love of his life, Eren was faster. He turned over and aimed a hard kick at his molester's jaw; Monsieur Bossard bit down on his tongue and fell backwards before hitting his head on the edge of the night-stand. Levi moved over to aim a few hits at him, just to make sure the man was unconscious, before getting back to the bed.

Eren looked around with wide eyes, trying to get free and trying even harder to figure out what was going on. The door slammed and he looked up just in time to get a glimpse of Mikasa, before Levi was over him, freeing his hands from the rope.

"Levi? Mika- what is going on?" Eren stuttered as he got up on his knees and looked from his sister to his lover.

"Did he touch you?" Levi asked and leaned in over the bed to get Eren's attention. The painter's hands were all over him, checking if he was hurt.

"I - wha -" Eren got distracted as Mikasa sunk down next to the door, unable to hold herself up any longer.

_"Did he touch you?"_ Levi raised his voice and grabbed Eren's chin to turn his face towards him.

"No," Eren answered and looked at Levi with a mix of confusion and disbelief. It was hard to understand that Levi was really standing there in front of him.

"Thank God," Levi whispered and let out a relieved sigh, "Cover yourself up, we are leaving. Now."

Eren's eyes widened even further as he looked after Levi, who went over and picked Mikasa up again. He couldn't believe his own eyes and he had so many questions, but he sensed that now was not the time. He grabbed his robe and threw it over his naked body, while Levi carried Mikasa to the balcony.

Levi placed Mikasa on the railing without letting go of her. He looked down under the balcony into the street. It was dark and almost completely silent; low music from the night-club could be heard out there, and the sound of two impatient horses sounded from right under the balcony.

"Hanji?" he whispered into the darkness.

"Finally!" Hanji's voice echoed through the night, "It's about time, Levi. I thought you'd ditched me." She jumped up on the roof of the carriage under the balcony and her bright smile shone up at him.

"Shut up, it wasn't exactly an easy job," Levi hissed back and sent her an annoyed glance. He took the knife away from Mikasa and handed it down to Hanji, who placed it in her belt.

"What, you think it was easy to steal a carriage big enough to reach the balcony?" she asked, not caring to try and keep her voice low. "Is that Mikasa? Just jump, Love, I'll catch you," she continued and smiled at Mikasa, while waving at her to jump into her arms.

Mikasa looked at Hanji with wide eyes before turning them to Levi; she didn't say anything, but she was obviously sceptic about trusting Hanji.

"It's okay, she's a friend," Levi mumbled and signaled for Mikasa to hold onto him again. "Be gentle, Hanji, she's not feeling very well," he said as he lowered Mikasa down from the balcony. Hanji reached up and grabbed her, holding on tight before Levi let go of the girl and turned to look after Eren.

"Eren?" Levi whispered and moved back into the dark room.

"J-just a second," Eren answered as he tried to wrap the rope around a box on the bed.

"Come on, we have to get out," Levi insisted and ran back to Eren, ready to drag him out if necessary. He grabbed his wrist and turned around, but Eren stopped him.

"Wait, Levi," Eren said and pulled Levi back.

"Eren, we have to get out  _now!_ "

"Je t'aime," Eren said as their eyes finally met again. The boy pulled Levi closer and placed a soft kiss on his lips. All tension disappeared from Levi's body for a moment as he felt those sweet lips against his own again. Through the sweet caress, he remembered why he had done all this and he knew it was completely worth it. Levi wrapped his arms around Eren and returned the kiss. Eren was finally his.

"Come on," Levi whispered against Eren's lips and locked eyes with him again, "I will kiss you every day for the rest of my life if you come with me."

Eren smiled happily and followed Levi to the balcony. Levi jumped down to the roof of the carriage and caught Eren in his arms as the boy followed with the box in his arms. They climbed down from the roof and as they set feet on the ground, Levi pulled Eren into another kiss. Eren giggled against the painter's lips. A bubbly feeling spread through his body, as he took his first steps as a free were-cat. He was worried about Mikasa, but he couldn't help but feel extremely happy right now.

As Eren studied his lover's face in the moonlight, he noticed all the cuts and the large wound on his jaw. His eyes widened, but Levi sent him a knowing look, telling him to wait with the questions for later. He held the door for Eren to enter the carriage, when something caught his eyes. Levi looked up back at the night-club behind them; Annie was standing in her window, looking down at them with glowing blue eyes. As Levi locked eyes with her, she jerked back with a surprised look on her face, before she turned around and ran away.

Levi slammed the door behind Eren and jumped up next to Hanji behind the horses.

"Let's get out of here  _now_ ," Levi said and sent Hanji a heated look through the darkness; he reminded himself to thank her properly when they got to her ship, but after seeing Annie, he knew they had to get away.

"There has been a change of plans," Hanji said and looked at him, "We have to get Mikasa to a doctor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta-harem as always c:
> 
> I'm currently working on a new project, with a younger Levi and older Eren, and I believe it to be very cute and funny. The title will be "The Sweetest Taste", and hopefully I'll have the first chapter ready soon, so please check it out if you enjoy my stories c:


	15. Happily Never After Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi has escaped the night-club with both his life and Eren, but after Annie noticed them leave, he is eager to get out of France as soon as possible. Mikasa needs to be examined by a doctor, and luckily Hanji knows one right there in Paris.

"What?" Levi yelled out in disbelief, hoping he had heard wrong, "Hanji, we don't have time for that! That blonde girl, Annie - she saw us leave!"

"Are you sure?" Hanji asked and glared over at Levi, before looking ahead and whipping the horses into action as the carriage jerked forwards.

"Yes!" Levi raised his voice a bit, "She saw Eren and me as we left the balcony. If she finds Erwin..." Levi trailed off as his nervousness took over and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down.

"You locked the office after you left, didn't you?"

"Of course!"

"Then we're safe for now."

"You're not the one who's life is at risk if they find him!"

"I know, but we don't really have a choice. She needs medicine, Levi," Hanji said with a serious voice, and made the horses turn around a corner.

"Where are we even going to find a doctor at this time of night?" Levi asked and ran a hand through his hair as the anxiety grew in his chest again. He really just wanted to get away; out of this lousy country, and back to London where he could pretend to not just have killed a man.

"I know where we can find one," Hanji said and winked at Levi as they bumped through the dark streets. She could sense his tension and offered him a warm smile to help him relax.

Inside the carriage, Eren cuddled up against Mikasa while hugging her tightly. He really couldn't believe this was happening; a few minutes ago he had been in hell as Monsieur Bossard used him to let out his sadistic tendencies, and now - now he was actually free.

Mikasa was coughing violently as the carriage bumped away, and Eren got more and more worried. Her face was pale and sweaty, but she was cold as ice. It was obvious she had gotten a lot worse since the last time he saw her, but he hoped the fresh air would do her well.

Hanji made a short stop to let Levi join Eren and Mikasa inside the carriage, before she led them towards the doctor. Levi sat down across from the two siblings and studied them as they curled up against each other like not a single day had passed where they hadn't been together.

Eren studied him with a grateful smile on his face. Both him and Levi felt like they had so much to share, yet words could not describe what they wanted to say.

"We're going to see a doctor," Levi finally said and looked down at his hands.

"Now?" Eren asked while wrapping his arm tighter around his sister.

"Hanji says she knows someone who can give Mikasa a check up."

Mikasa coughed against the scarf, before opening her eyes.

"You should go," she whispered hoarsely, "You can't stay here."

"What are you talking about?" Eren asked and looked from Mikasa to Levi and back again. Levi didn't say anything. Mikasa knew Levi had to leave the country before anyone found out what had happened in Erwin's office and linked it back to Levi.

"We are going to see the doctor, and then we will leave," Levi said to Mikasa and she sent him a tired look in return. Levi could read her like an open book, even though she seemed closed off; even though she didn't say it, it was obvious she was grateful that he had gotten both of them out of there, and she didn't want him to get in trouble, just because of her.

"What is going on?" Eren asked again. He felt uncomfortable about not knowing what had happened, when Mikasa and Levi obviously had gone through some trouble to get to him. All the questions came back to his mind.

"Erwin is dead," Levi said calmly, "And I ...  _we_  have to leave the country as soon as possible."

"Y-you..." Eren's eyes widened and he looked down at his sister, searching for confirmation. She nodded slightly and Eren lowered his voice as he looked up at Levi again; "You killed him?"

"Yes."

Levi studied the boy's face as he looked at the painter with wide eyes and parted lips; he looked shocked, but it was impossible to read what was behind the shock. Eren took a deep breath, about to say something, when the carriage stopped. Levi got up and opened the door to check if they were there or if they had run into trouble.

"Grab the girl, we're here," Hanji said and looked as cheerful as ever. Levi wondered if she actually had a blast while he was trying to get out of this alive. The adventure - as she had called it - apparently made her even more excited than she usually was, but maybe it was good to have someone there who would stay optimistic.

Levi didn't say anything as he knelt down in front of the two siblings, and tried to grab Mikasa as gentle as possible. Eren let go of her as she wrapped her thin arms around Levi's neck, and he picked her up. Eren looked after them as Levi carried the girl out of the carriage, and he followed them after wrapping the robe tighter around his body.

None of them said anything, as Hanji led them away from the carriage. The horses let out muffled sounds as they left them alone in the dark street, and Levi looked back over his shoulder to make sure no one had followed them from the night-club. Mikasa coughed lowly as Hanji led them towards an impressively decorated front-door, fitting in perfectly in the expensive area they found themselves in.

Levi looked up at all the dark windows and Hanji knocked on the door. He was nervous; this all seemed like a bad idea. He really just wanted to get the hell out of France, and the longer he stayed, the greater the chance of being caught was. He reminded himself that he had hidden the body in the basement, that no one else knew existed, and locked up the office. He took a deep breath, and ignored Mikasa's dark eyes as she studied his worried frown; he should be safe for now.

Hanji kept knocking and after a long moment, a light appeared in one of the windows. Hanji didn't seem to care as she knocked until the door was finally unlocked and opened.

"Good evening, Monsieur Pixis," Hanji beamed and pushed her way into the house before the owner managed to say anything, "I hope you're not busy right now."

"Busy?" Pixis asked, completely dumbfounded, "Mademoiselle Hanji - it's the middle

of the night!"

"I am here to collect the favour you owe me," Hanji said and signaled for Levi and Eren to follow her.

"No, wait!" Pixis said and stopped Levi, while still looking at Hanji, "Since when do I owe you anything?"

Hanji locked eyes with him, and pulled out an envelope from her inner-pocket; "Since I'm giving you this -" she handed it over while locking eyes with the older man "- for free."

The doctor sent her a skeptical look, obviously trying to figure out if she was trying to fool him, before taking the envelope and checking the content.

"Fine," he said and looked at Levi and Mikasa. His eyes wandered over the wound and cuts on Levi, to Mikasa's feverish face. "Who needs treatment?"

"She does," Levi answered and pulled Mikasa up to let the doctor get a proper look at her.

"Very well then, please follow me."

Pixis led them through the dark rooms and into his practice area at the other end of the house. The frown on Levi's face turned darker, as he felt more and more anxious for every minute he spend in Paris. The shocked look Eren had given him in the carriage was hunting him; had he really gone too far?

Levi sat Mikasa down in a chair in the doctor's office, while Pixis turned on a few oil-lamps and got ready to examine her. He asked the three of them to leave while he checked Mikasa, and Hanji led Levi and Eren back into the living-room. She sat down on the couch and sent Eren a bright smile, as the boy looked at her with a confused expression.

"M-Monsieur Darcy?" the boy asked as he studied the familiar face.

"Oh, right!" Hanji said and laughed, "Yes, it's me. Just call me Hanji."

Eren nodded but the confusion never left his face. His mind was about to burst from all the thoughts and questions, but he wasn't sure if it was time to ask yet. He had no idea what was really going on, and deep down he just wanted to go back into the office and stay close to Mikasa. He was worried about her and Levi - Eren looked over at the painter in the corner of the room - Levi seemed so closed off all of a sudden.

Levi tried to remain calm, telling himself over and over, that it was only a matter of time before he was on his way back to London. He looked up and caught Eren's eyes. Pushing himself away from the wall, he walked over to the boy. Levi looked down at Hanji who studied the two of them with curiosity, before leaning in and whispering to Eren; "Come with me for a moment."

Eren nodded and followed Levi over to a large glass-door leading to a small back-yard, cut off from the dark streets by a tall fence. The yard was neat and well-kept, with flowers and trees everywhere. Levi closed the door behind them and looked at Eren in the moonlight, as the boy turned to face him while pulling the robe tighter around his body.

"Are you cold?" Levi asked and studied Eren's expression. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around Eren's shoulders before the boy could get a chance to answer. Eren sent him a smile and waited for the painter to pull him closer, but nothing happened. "Eren, I need to -"

"Levi," Eren cut him off and grabbed Levi's hand before he removed them from his shoulders, "Did... did you do all this - for me?"

Levi studied Eren as he looked up at him with gorgeous green eyes. "Yes," he whispered.

"I had no idea you would go that far to save me," Eren said and leaned in to rest his head against Levi's shoulder. He breathed in through his nose, enjoying the familiar scent. He had been sure he would never experience that sweet smell again, and he breathed out a deep sigh on Levi's neck.

"I told you I would get you out," Levi whispered, as a warm feeling spread through his body, from the spot on his neck where he could feel Eren's breath, "I love you, Eren. I will do anything for you."

Eren grabbed onto Levi's shirt and dug his face into the crook of his neck. The wound on his jaw stung, but Levi responded by wrapping his arms around the slender body and held him as tight as possible. It was hard to find words, and it seemed like both of them just needed to enjoy the moment; they were finally together. It was real. Just the two of them - no Erwin, no money, no La Maison des Chats.

Eren was the first to break away as he looked up at Levi with wet eyes and a happy smile on his face. He smashed his lips against Levi's in a grateful kiss, while digging his fingers through the painter's hair. All tension slowly left both their bodies and they stood there bathing in the moonlight and doing what both of them had longed to do. It felt like it had been forever since they had been happy together, caught up in each other's love.

"Thank you," Eren whispered as they parted, "You saved my sister. I will never be able to repay you."

"Just spend the rest of your life with me," Levi smiled and placed another kiss on the boy's lips, "I think that will do."

"That's hardly a way to pay you back," Eren mumbled against the kiss, while looking up at the painter with an adoring glance.

"It's all I want."

Eren smiled and locked eyes with Levi. He couldn't believe he would be able to look into those beautiful grey orbs every single day for the rest of his life; this was a dream coming true. He let his eyes wander over the wounded face and let his fingers ghost over the many small cuts.

"What happened?" he asked hesitantly. He was curious and a bit worried, but he didn't want to ruin the moment.

"I killed him," Levi said again and hissed as Eren touched the wound on his jaw.

"I mean, what happened to you?"

"I was too slow and he pointed a knife at me," Levi answered and pulled back a bit to stop Eren's fingers from touching his face. Eren wrapped his hand around the painter's neck instead and looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. "We fought. I was lucky it wasn't me who ended up dying. I got away with this wound -" he pointed at his jaw, "- and the cuts on my face."

"You're amazing," Eren whispered, "I can't believe you would go through all that just to get me out. I am just a lousy wh-"

"No, you're not!" Levi cut him off before Eren could finish the sentence, "Not any more. You are free."

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi again and kissed him deeply. Levi couldn't help but smile at Eren's obvious happiness, and it felt amazing to know that he had caused it. He had actually managed to do something with his life, something that made sense. Something that made a difference to someone else.

Levi pulled Eren closer and let his tongue move over the boy's bottom lip. Eren parted his lips and let his tongue meet Levi's, while humming happily. Eren knew he had to hold back due to Levi's injuries, but he really just wanted to kiss him for eternity. He sucked lightly on Levi's bottom lip and dug his hands through his hair again. Levi invaded Eren's mouth again, eager to forget what he had done only about an hour earlier, and moved his hands up and down the boy's back. Oh, how he wanted to celebrate the first night of the rest of their life together, right then and there. Eren apparently had the same urge and he pulled lightly at Levi's hair and slid in closer.

Levi pulled him up and Eren wrapped his legs around Levi's waist. He let a breathy moan escape his lips and Levi grabbed his ass through the thin robe. It was a bit sore after Monsieur Bossard's treatment, but it didn't matter; it was Levi's hands on him, and he craved it no matter how sore his body was. Levi's jacket fell off of Eren's shoulders, but none of them cared. Eren pulled Levi's head back by the hair again, and locked eyes with him.

"I love you so much, Levi," he whispered and sent him a needy look, "I'm yours. All yours."

Levi leaned in and closed the gab between them again in a hungry kiss. Eren moaned against his lips and the painter's hand slid up the back of his thigh and grabbed his ass under the robe. Chills ran down Eren's spine and he tightened his grip around Levi's waist. Eren kissed him eagerly, not able to get enough at all, and he felt the warm hands tighten on his ass. A low moan drowned in the wet kiss, both completely lost in each other, when -

"Levi," Hanji's voice sounded from the glass-door.

Both of them pulled back from the kiss, blushing slightly and completely surprised by her sudden presence. Levi was about to ask her to leave them alone for a little longer, but then he noticed the serious expression on her face. Her eyes were dark and her usual smile was completely gone.

Levi let Eren back down on his feet, and Eren wrapped the robe tighter around his body, while both of them walked over to Hanji. She looked down for a moment, trying to find the words.

"What's wrong?" Levi asked, but he had a bad feeling.

"Pixis just finished examining Mikasa," Hanji said and studied them with sad eyes, "He's given her amphetamine, but she can't leave. She has to stay near a doctor until she's better, but he can't guarantee when that will be. The cold has evolved to a serious case of pneumonia, and her breathing is troubled. It can get worse very fast."

Levi looked from Hanji's face to Eren, who's face had turned to horrified, and back again. Levi's eyes widened and his mouth suddenly felt extremely dry. "What are you saying?" he whispered. Hanji crossed her arms in front of her and looked down.

"She has to stay in Paris. He says she will die if we go back to London now."

"But we have to leave!" Levi raised his voice a bit, "Annie saw us! It's only a matter of time before they break down the door to Erwin's office and see all the blood. We can't stay here! I mean..." he looked back at Eren again who's worried eyes shone with tears from the news about his sister. "I can't stay here..."

"No,  _you_  can't," Hanji said and locked eyes with Levi, "I will get you back to London, and we have to leave tonight. But..." She looked at Eren for a moment and sent Levi a dark look.

"No," Eren whispered and covered his mouth with his hand.

"Eren," Levi said as he wrapped his arms around him again, trying to comfort him as tears ran down the boy's cheeks, "She will be okay, don't worry."

"You're asking me to chose between the two of you," Eren cried and looked up at Levi with tearful eyes, "I-I have to chose between staying here with Mikasa, and going to London with you? What if..." he was cut off by a sob, and wiped a tear away with the back of his hand, "I can't live without any of you. I love you, Levi. I can't just leave you after all you've done for me!"

"I know," Levi whispered and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

"But Mikasa is my only family, I can't just leave her all alone in Paris. What if something happens to her? What if she dies?"

"Eren."

"I don't know what to do -"

"Eren, please stop," Levi said and pulled Eren's face up to lock eyes with him. Tears ran down the boy's cheeks, glinting in the moonlight. Levi bit his lip, hating himself for what he had to do. "You don't have to chose. I will make the choice for you."

"What are you saying?" Eren whispered hoarsely. He looked pale in the moonlight, and his eyes were red from crying.

"Stay here with..." Levi's voice disappeared as he tried to speak, and he swallowed hard. He tried to hold back the tears and looked down to hide behind his bangs. His heart broke all over again, from what he was about to say; "Stay here with Mikasa."

"What?" Eren whined and pulled Levi closer to lock eyes with him, "No!"

"You have to," Levi murmured, still trying to keep himself from breaking down in front of Eren. He knew this was hard on him as it was, he wouldn't want to make it harder by letting Eren see him cry.

"No, I can't let you leave!" Eren yelled, as heavy tears ran down his face, "After all you have done for me! I love you! I can't do this!"

"Eren," Levi said and pulled him closer so only Eren could hear him, "I know you love me. But I didn't get you out of the night-club to force you to follow me. You are free. You don't have to go back to London with me."

"Stop, please stop," Eren cried and buried his face in Levi's neck, "I thought I would never see you again, and I don't want to let you go. I don't want to live without you!"

Levi wrapped his arms tighter around the boy and held him close as Eren cried against his neck. Eren clung onto him as if his life depended on it, and let all his tears out. Levi couldn't stand seeing Eren like this again, but there was nothing he could do. He knew Eren would never be able to forgive himself if he left Mikasa in Paris and went back to London with him. She had no chance of surviving alone in her state, and there was no way Pixis would take care of her; he had helped her because Hanji had bribed him, not because he cared.

Hanji studied them from the glass-door and felt a pinch in her heart. Eren's sobs were heartbreaking, but seeing Levi act so caring and completely selfless, told her how much they really cared about each other. This was indeed love in it's purest form, and yet it wasn't enough to keep them together. She let them stay like that until Eren ran out of tears to cry, and he looked up at Levi again.

"Don't say anything, Eren," Levi whispered and placed another gentle kiss on his forehead, "I know what you are thinking. But you have to stay. You don't owe me anything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but only of I know you will be happy. And I know you won't if you leave Mikasa here. It's not the end of the world, Eren. Maybe I will get to see you again someday. I will wait my entire life for that day, if that is what it takes."

Eren gulped as new tears found their way to his eyes.

"I will find you," he whispered and locked eyes with the painter, "I promise you, I will find you! When Mikasa gets better, and..."

"I know," Levi said and stroke Eren's cheek, "And I will be waiting for you."

"I will love you -" Eren whispered as a tear fell from his eye.

"- until my dying day," Levi whispered back. He closed the gab between them, and kissed Eren like it was the last time. He wanted to break off a piece of him to bring with him back to London, but he knew he would be the one leaving a piece of himself behind. Eren would always have his heart, and until they would meet again, something would always be missing.

"Levi," Hanji said in a gentle voice. Her eyes were wet from the tragic scene in front of her, and she wished she could help them. "We have to leave soon. The boys are getting the ship ready and I told Moblit we would be there before dawn."

"Don't leave me," Eren whispered and held onto Levi as tight as he possibly could.

"I wish I could stay," Levi said and inhaled Eren's sent, wanting to remember it as much as possible, "No matter what happens, remember that I will always love you."

"Levi," Hanji repeated. She expected him to yell at her to leave them alone, but he just sent her a sad glance and nodded.

Eren let out a sob as Levi let go of him. He clung to the sleeve of his shirt as Levi walked past Hanji, not caring about his jacket on the ground. Hanji followed them, and left the keys of her apartment with Eren, offering him to let them stay at her place until she would come back a few days later. Eren took the keys and Levi gave Eren the rest of his French money, as he knew he wouldn't be needing them any more.

The painter wrapped his arms around him one last time and Eren cried silently as he held him close. When Levi and Hanji left the house, Eren was left alone in the dark living-room.

 

* * *

 

Hanji decided to let the carriage stay in Paris; they took the horses and rode along the empty roads until they reached the sea. She kept an eye on Levi, but he just looked ahead without meeting her gaze. He didn't say a single word and didn't let a single tear fall. His face remained expressionless, but she could see the pain in his eyes.

As they finally reached the ship, the sky was clearing up and it would only be a matter of time before the sun would start to rise. Hanji greeted her team-mates, but as soon as Levi was out of hearing range, she warned them not to make too much noise and mind their own business.

Levi stood by the railing, looking back at the mainland as the ship set sail, and they slowly moved away from France. Hanji joined him by the railing, but Levi didn't spare her a glance. She understood that he didn't wanted to talk, but she decided to keep him company, just in case he changed his mind.

As France grew smaller and smaller, Levi let out a deep sigh and looked down at the sea under them. Hanji pulled out a bottle of whiskey and handed it over to him. He took it without a word, but he was grateful she was there. He would have kicked anyone else over board, but she had proven to be the best friend he could ever wish for. After all that had happened during the past few weeks, she had been willing to give up so much for his sake. It was hard to look past the sorrow, but he really was grateful.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you," Hanji finally said and lowered her head.

"You did everything you could," Levi said and handed the bottle back to her.

"I will go back and check up on them as soon as I'm sure you've gotten back to your apartment safely," she said. Levi looked at her and nodded. "I won't be able to stay and take care of them until Mikasa is back on her feet again, though. I have a business to run. I hope you understand that."

"I do," Levi said. His voice sounded monotone, like he had lost the will to live.

They spend another couple of minutes in silence as the morning sun shone over France.

"What did you give Pixis to convince him to examine Mikasa?" Levi then asked, hoping to take his mind off Eren for a moment.

"Amphetamine," Hanji said and turned her back to France as she leaned her ass against the railing, "I smuggle amphetamine to doctors all around Europe. There's no money in shipping tea-leaves and biscuits from London. Amphetamine is easy to hide and they pay good money for it."

Levi nodded and grabbed the bottle again. He took a large sip while watching France grow smaller. Silence set between them again.

"Levi," Hanji said. This time she was the one to break the silence, and she looked like she was deep in her own thoughts as she spoke; "You may see me only as a drunken, vice-ridden smuggler who's friends are just pimps and girls from the brothels. But I know about art and love, only because I long for it with every fiber of my being. He loves you, I know he does. Don't ever question that."

"Yeah," Levi said and looked down again. He knew she was right, but it hurt to think about it. If their love-affair had only been an infatuation or simply just sex, this would have been so much easier. But then again, all this would never have happened if he hadn't felt that completely mind-blowing love deep in his heart.

"I know it seems unbearable, like you will never be able to feel joy again," Hanji continued and looked down at her friend, "But you've experienced something truly amazing. I don't believe there is love out there for all of us, especially not the kind of love you and Eren share. It will never fade. It will stay in both your hearts forever. And that is a really special gift."

"I hope you're right," Levi mumbled and brought the bottle to his lips again, "I'm just trying to figure out if it was all worth it in the end."

"Are you really thinking about that?"

"I'm not sure," Levi said, still looking back at France, "It all seems so unreal right now. I killed a man, Hanji. I still have his blood smeared over my neck and clothes. I don't know if they have found him yet or if they are looking for me."

"No one can prove it was you," Hanji said, trying to comfort him, but as she looked down at him again, he didn't seem worried or scared.

"I just can't believe I actually found the love of my life," Levi said and turned the bottle between his fingers, "I've never believed in it, and yet I found him. But I can't be with him. What kind of sick, twisted world is this?"

"It's sad, yes, but it's not really that twisted," Hanji mumbled and took the bottle from his hand to take a sip, before she continued, "You learned about love, didn't you?"

Levi let out a huff, but didn't say anything. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. If all this had really happened just to teach him that love existed, then it truly was a twisted world.

"If you ask me," Hanji said and handed the bottle back to her friend, "The greatest thing you will ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."

Silence set between them once again, as Levi thought about what she had said. He was too tired and too miserable to figure out what to think of it all. He took another large sip and handed the bottle back to Hanji. He pulled out the keys to the basement from his pocket and looked down at them. They shone in the early morning light, reminding him of the long night he had just lived through. This was the last proof he had left from Paris; the last thing to remind him what had happened, where he had been and that Eren was real.

Levi looked out over the sea and threw the keys over the railing, as far away as he could. They disappeared somewhere under the waves, where they would be buried for eternity.

France disappeared in the distance, and Levi felt Eren drift farther away for every second. He had had him for a short time - they were going to spend their lives together, and they had been truly happy for a moment. How was he ever going to live without him? He couldn't go back to live like he used to; being satisfied with being alone, only having a few close friends, never finding interest in love. Beauty used to be his one and only true love, but everything seemed dark now that Eren was gone. He wished to see him again one day, but it wasn't granted. He would never be able to go back to Paris and look for Eren, should anything happen to him.

Levi looked down and bit his lip as tears formed in his eyes. No matter how great the love was, the pain and loneliness was overwhelming right now.

Hanji didn't say anything. She didn't touch him, and she found it best to pretend not to notice his tears. She looked away, but decided to stay near him - just in case he needed a friend or a sip of whiskey.

Levi let his tears fall into the sea as he saw France disappeared completely. No matter the experience or lessons he had leaned, no matter the emotions or love he brought back with him - he cried silently, as he realized he had left the most important part of himself behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left - I hope you've enjoyed the ride. I'm going to spend a couple of days on my new fanfiction - The Sweetest Taste - and then go back to chapter 16. Hopefully it'll be ready in a week or so. Thanks for all the comments c:


	16. Renewed Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is back in London - alone. After meeting Eren and experiencing true love, it’s hard for him to deal with the loneliness. Days turn to weeks, and weeks turn to months; his memories fades as his drinking increases.

The empty bottles were gathering up in his kitchen. It had been six months since Levi left Paris. The days and months had disappeared in his whiskey-doze, but he knew it was winter now. It was cold and wet outside, which was just another reason for him to stay inside all day, until he ran out of booze.

The day he returned to London, Hanji had taken him back to his apartment in the centre of London. They hadn't talked much since they left her ship, but he was grateful she was there. As teasing and annoying as she could be, she really knew when to hold her tongue. She had made sure he was settled with food for a few days and a couple of bottles, but she had to leave shortly after to attend business.

The first week had been rough. Levi tried to function like he used to before going to France, but he felt lonely. Being alone had never been an issue to him - quite the opposite actually, as he had always preferred loneliness over wasting his time on people he didn't care for. But after meeting Eren, he had changed; he missed Eren every single moment of every day, and his heart ached to see him again. It was like the distance between them was palpable and his life just didn't make sense without Eren.

He tried to comfort himself, telling himself over and over that they would meet again. Eren had promised to find him as soon as Mikasa got better.

After a week alone in an apartment that suddenly felt way too big for him to live alone, Levi decided to get out and buy a new easel and supplies. He had left all his equipment in Paris, something he though he would never agree to. But it was the least important thing he had to leave behind.

He started painting every day to distract himself from his loneliness. He went to the park, hoping to be inspired to paint the nature again; it was the end of the summer and the flowers and trees were as beautiful as ever, bathed in the warm sun-light. But he didn't feel it. He only felt like painting Eren.

As the weather started getting wetter, he stopped going to the parks. He had counted the days since the last time he saw Eren, and as he entered the fourth week, he had trouble keeping his head high. Sleeplessness and disturbing dreams had haunted him since he left Paris, but they were impossible to ignore now as they grew more and more realistic. He dreamed about Erwin's blood on his hands, and the way it had felt to thrust the knife through a human body. The way the skin broke from his touch and the gurgling sounds from Erwin's throat as he died. The empty eyes haunted him as soon as he fell asleep.

After a month in London, he received a letter from Hanji. She told him that Mikasa was still sick. Her malnutrition and the fact that she had been locked up for four years, slowed down the recovery, but Hanji wrote that she was sure Mikasa would recover completely. She wrote that she had to leave Eren and Mikasa alone in Paris, but they were safe in her apartment and Pixis Dot had instructed Eren in taking care of his sister. Hanji ended her letter with telling Levi, that Eren had asked her to tell him how much he missed him.

Levi had broken down as he read the last words. He was alone - like he always was - and there was no reason to hold back. He finally found release as the tears ran down his face. He realized that he hadn't allowed himself to cry since the few tears he had let fall on Hanji's ship. It would be embarrassing if anyone had seen him, but he didn't care at all. As much as it hurt to know that Eren probably wouldn't be able to leave Paris any time soon, it was calming to know he still remembered him. Levi had been afraid that Eren's affection would wear off as he got used to his freedom, but now he knew the boy was still thinking of him. Eren missed him. And Levi knew that no matter how painful it was to be away from him, it had all been worth it.

After receiving the letter, Levi started drinking heavily. As soon as he had seen the letter from Hanji, he had hoped she had news about when she would bring Eren to London, but he would obviously have to wait. A month had been long enough without Eren and the loneliness was eating him up. He drank to forget about the pain, but he had to read Hanji's letter every single day, more importantly the last sentence;  _'Eren says he misses you.'_

"Well, I bloody hell miss you too!" Levi yelled drunkenly at the letter, one particular night after three months in London. He was sitting on his couch in the living-room that hadn't been cleaned properly in two months and empty bottles sprayed all over the floor. He was gulping down whiskey directly from the bottle, not really caring about the drops running down his chin. He held the letter in his hand, reading the words over and over; ' _Eren says he misses you.'_

 

"Come back to me," he cried and threw the letter on the coffee-table on front of him, "I miss you, Eren. I can't take this."

He placed the bottle between his knees to rub the tears from his sore eyes. He felt sick after two months of heavy drinking, but the pain never eased. He felt like he was about to throw up, and jerked forward with a hand in front on his mouth. The bottle slid from his knees and splashed whiskey all over the coffee-table - and the letter. Levi pulled it off of the table by the corner of the paper and watched as Hanji's words got more and more blurred until he wasn't able to read Eren's message any more.

Levi let out a loud yell and kicked the table so the whiskey splashed over the floor and bottles were knocked over. He searched his drunk mind for a way to save the letter, but he knew Eren's words were lost. He threw the letter in the couch and went to bed without caring about the overthrown table or the broken bottles.

He dreamed about Eren that night, in the arms of someone else. Moaning, panting, squirming, as unfamiliar hands ran all over the naked body. It was much like the unpleasant image he had had back in Paris, when he couldn't get rid of the thoughts of Eren with someone else. Except Eren's features were blurry.

Levi woke up covered in sweat and with a horrible hangover. Normally he would have started the day with half a bottle of whiskey before even getting out of bed, but he couldn't forget the dream. It was bad enough to see Eren with someone else, but what scared him the most was that he couldn't remember the boy any more.

After drinking heavily for the past two months, his memory was failing. He hated himself for forgetting what Eren looked like, and he refused to let more memories slip away. He could remember the brown locks and the soft skin, but he had forgotten his voice. He couldn't remember what his face looked like, or the fine lines of his body.

He refused to drown the last memories in booze, and laid down again to sleep away his hangover. He dreamed about Erwin and La Maison des Chats, and through the dream, it felt like he was back in Paris again. He tossed and turned in the bed, trying to escape the dreams about blood and greedy men.

It took him another week to get over his alcohol-abuse; he knew he had bottles lying around and it would be so easy to get drunk again, but he was so afraid of forgetting Eren. It was one thing to not be able to see him, and maybe he never would, but if he forgot him, it would definitely be over.

After getting over the worst addiction, he slowly started to get back on his feet. He spent a few days on cleaning out his apartment, getting rid of all the empty bottles, and made sure he could stand to live there. Levi redecorated one of his living-rooms to atelier and started painting again. He painted Eren over and over again, hoping to regain memories and details about the boy. His paintings were a lot more abstract from his earlier work, since he could only paint by memory now. He loved him from the core of his being, and nothing could change that. Eren was the only one he would ever want to spend his life with, and the only thing he felt like he couldn't live without.

It was tough, but Levi clung to what he had left of Eren. He bought a frame for the blurry letter, just to remind himself of why he shouldn't start drinking heavily again. It was a reminder that if he lost control like that again, he would without a doubt lose Eren completely. He had to hold on to his sanity; he had to make sure Eren would have something to come home to, if he ever went to London.

The nightmares returned as he started going to bed sober. Some nights it was about Erwin, some nights it was Eren's pained face and horrified screams. Levi would wake up in the morning, completely exhausted, but he forced himself to keep painting and try to keep his head high.

As the word about his new style of painting spread through London, his reputation grew and new customers came by often to buy his paintings. A rumour found it's way to him, about a British painter who was suspected of murder in Paris, and he suddenly noticed the hinting questions from his customers. He refused to reveal anything, but apparently such a rumour only made people want his paintings that much more.

After a few weeks without alcohol and sleepless nights, Levi allowed himself to drink at night. He managed to keep it under control, even though it was tempting to drink away his loneliness.

Levi woke up one morning as the sharp winter sun reached his bed. He rubbed his face to get rid of the slight hungover he had gotten used to waking up with. He squinted his eyes, and turned to look out the window in his bedroom. The light was sharper than usual and he spend a long moment thinking about his dreams. Every morning, he hoped he could remember something new about Eren, but it rarely ever happened.

This morning, though, he remembered how it felt to touch his fur. The soft feeling of his cat-ears as they twitched when he touched them too lightly. A feeling of peace found it's way to his heart as he suddenly felt like Eren was a bit closer to him now.

Levi stretched his body and arched his back away from the mattress, before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He let out a loud yawn and got on his feet. Outside the window, London was covered in snow. The sharp light came from the sun reflecting in the perfect layer of white on every roof-top, and Levi studied the peaceful sight for a moment. It was truly beautiful.

He pulled off his nightshirt and threw it on a chair, before going through his drawer to find a clean set of clothes. He noticed how messy he had gotten after returning from Paris. It wasn't as bad as it had been while he had lived on a diet of whiskey and self-pity, but it was still messy. He didn't really care to make his bed or keep the dirty clothes completely under control, but at least it wasn't harmful to his health any more.

Levi went through the apartment and pulled the curtains to let the bright winter light illuminate every room. Eren lingered in his thoughts, and he searched his mind for more details about him. He picked up his mail from under the front-door and looked through the letters. He recognized his mother's writing and let a confused frown settle on his face. Why would she write a letter now? He hadn't heard anything from his parents in a year, they only wrote him a letter when... Levi pulled out the newspaper from the back of the stack - yes, they only sent him a letter on his birthday. It was Christmas morning, his birthday. He hadn't kept track of the dates since he returned from Paris - it was too painful to actually know how long he had gone by alone. It had been around six months now.

Levi threw the mail on a table next to the front-door and leaned back against the wall. Six months. It felt like an eternity since he had held Eren in his arms. Since he had kissed him. He hadn't heard anything from Hanji besides that one letter she sent him.

He let out a deep sigh. He missed Eren even more now that he knew six months had passed by. But he had to trust Hanji. She would have made sure he knew, if anything had happened. He had to move forward.

Levi went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. As he leaned against the counter, sipping the hot liquid, he was completely lost in thoughts. Six months.

"Happy birthday, you old sod," he mumbled to himself and took another sip. He should really get on with today's work. It would be nice to spend the day with Eren - or just Hanji or someone who could keep him company without making him feel like ripping their heads off. Just today, he didn't want to feel that lonely. God, he missed Eren.

As he went to his work-room, he decided to pretend like it was a day like any other. It didn't matter if it was Christmas or his birthday - as long as he didn't have anyone to share this day with, he might as well pretend it didn't exist. He would spend the day painting, and then he would prepare a meal and drink half a bottle of whiskey. Then he would go to bed and pray to not have any nightmares.

Levi placed the cup on a small table next to his easel and studied the painting he had worked on the previous day. Gorgeous green eyes looked back at him in a blurry face without features, all under a mess of brown hair. He really wished he had gotten a chance to bring his sketches of Eren back to London. Then maybe he would be able to paint him exactly as he was.

He wrapped a handkerchief around his hair and pulled on the large apron he always wore while painting. He took another sip of his tea before dipping his paintbrush and allowing himself to get consumed in his work. It didn't really matter how many hours a day he spend painting, it would always be the best way for him to get a break. He was caught up in his own thoughts as soon as the brush hit the canvas, and he got sucked into a world where everything was about Eren. Levi thought about the good memories he still had, and dreamed about seeing Eren again. He imagined how it would be to wake up next to his sleeping face and the relaxed expression he always wore. To wrap his arms around his curled up body, and kiss him everywhere until he would finally open those gorgeous eyes.

He leaned in closer to the canvas and added little details to the green orbs in front of him. He wanted to make them as realistic as possible. If he ever managed to paint something that looked exactly like Eren's eyes, he would keep it forever.

He painted the long dark lashes, surrounding the beautiful green, and placed shadows on the face to make the eyes stand out more. God, he missed him.

Levi's chain of thoughts were cut off, as he heard a knock on his front-door. He looked back over his shoulder at the grandfather clock at the other end of the room. It was a bit past noon. He narrowed his eyes, trying to remember if he had an appointment with a customer today. He usually made appointments around midday, to make sure the buyer would get the chance to look at the paintings in day-light, but who would spend Christmas day buying paintings?

Levi got up and wiped his hands on the apron. He walked through the apartment with quick steps and heard another knock as he reached the front-door.

"I am terribly sorry about the wait," he said as he opened the door, "I was busy, but..." He trailed off as his eyes fell on the person on the other side of the door; the man was wearing a worn-out jacket, that was too big for his size, and he was wrapped up in what looked like old blankets and scarf. His face was hidden, except for a pair of shining green eyes, that returned Levi's gaze.

"Eren?" Levi whispered with a shaky breath, "Please tell me I'm not dreaming." His voice had suddenly turned hoarse and threatened to break as he felt the tears press against his eyes. He didn't really dare breath out of fear that it was all just a dream and Eren would disappear if he moved.

Eren's eyes lit up and it was obvious he smiled under the scarf. He opened his arms and threw himself at the painter.

"You are going to get paint all over your clothes," Levi said, while returning the hug and pulling Eren into a tight embrace, "I'm covered in paint."

"I don't care," Eren smiled and wrapped his arms tighter around Levi's neck, "I don't care," Eren whispered again, "I don't care about anything."

"I can't believe you are here," Levi said as he pulled back and locked eyes with Eren, "You should have let me know. I could have picked you up and brought you here."

"I wanted to surprise you," Eren smiled under the scarf, "Happy birthday, Levi."

Levi removed the scarf from Eren's face and cupped his cheeks. If this was a dream, it was the best one he had had in six months, he thought to himself and leaned in to kiss the love of his life. Eren sighed through his nose, as Levi pressed his lips against the boy's. Levi almost lost himself in the familiar feeling of Eren's soft lips, moving against his own, and he remembered how much he used to love the little sounds Eren let out.

Eren almost couldn't contain the happiness bubbling in his body. He couldn't express how much he had missed Levi and how he had thought about him constantly since the moment he left him in Pixis Dot's house.

Levi broke the kiss to look at Eren again. Suddenly it seemed like not a single day had gone by where they hadn't been together. It felt exactly like the last time he saw Eren; his feelings would never change. Except this time, there were no sadness and no goodbyes. No torn hearts and no worries about whether they would see each other again and when.

"Come on inside, brat," Levi smiled and pulled Eren inside the apartment, before shutting the door behind him, "Where is all your stuff?"

"I left it on Hanji's ship," Eren said and moved in closer to Levi again. He wanted to kiss and touch him, to catch up on what he had missed the last six months, but he didn't want to push Levi. He was a bit nervous; when he finally got the chance to go to London, he had no idea if Levi still wanted him there. He knew he had to take the chance, but he had been so afraid that the painter might have changed his mind after leaving Paris. He didn't want to seem too pushy, if Levi didn't feel the same way. But it  _did_  look like he was happy to see him too. "I wasn't sure how long it would take to find you, and I didn't want to walk around with my luggage."

"How did you even find me? Why didn't Hanji bring you here?" Levi asked, and began unwrapping Eren from the many layers of clothes.

"She had business somewhere else in London, and she wouldn't have the time to bring me here until after your birthday. So I left the ship and told Mikasa to let Hanji know that I went out to find you myself," Eren said shyly as Levi opened his jacket.

"How did you find my apartment?" Levi asked again and moved closer to wrap his arms around Eren.

"I used these," Eren said and pulled something out of his pocket. He unfolded the papers and showed Lev the drawings he had made for Eren, while telling him about London. Levi looked at them with a puzzled expression. They were worn and a bit blurry; it was obvious that Eren had carried them with him for a long time. "You said this was the view from your apartment. When I found the bridge, someone was kind enough to show me to the right house."

"You still have them, after all this time?" Levi asked and locked eyes with Eren again.

"Of course," Eren said innocently, "You made them. I couldn't just leave them at La Maison des Chats."

"I can't believe you are here," Levi said again, and pulled Eren closer. He buried his nose in Eren's hair, and noticed that Eren had grown since the last time he held him. He was pretty sure the boy had gained some weight too, which was probably the result of finally getting proper meals and not dancing any more. After holding Eren close for another long moment, Levi pulled back again with an apologetic expression; "I am so sorry, where are my manners. Are you hungry? Do you want anything? Let me show you the apartment before finding someone who can get your luggage."

"No, it's okay," Eren smiled sweetly and rested his head against Levi's shoulder. He really just wanted to stay like this. Nothing else mattered, as long as he had Levi again. He didn't care about his belongings or anything else. He just wanted Levi. He had missed his touch and affection, and if Levi could spare him a few moments of unshared attention, then he couldn't ask for more. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," Levi sighed and let his fingers run through Eren's snow-wet locks, "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"No, I just want to be with you," Eren breathed and nuzzled his nose against the crook of Levi's neck.

"What about a warm bath?" Levi offered and gently forced Eren's face up to look at him. He leaned down and kissed him softly, and Eren let out a low purr.

"Will you keep me company?" he asked and looked up at the painting with shining green eyes.

"Of course," Levi smiled, "I will never take my eyes away from you again."

Eren blushed slightly as he let a bright smile settle on his face. He couldn't believe this was really happening. After four months in Hanji's apartment and two months at sea, he was finally back where he belonged; in Levi's arms. And this time he didn't have to hide anything and he didn't have to lie. He could spend every single moment with the painter, and he didn't have to worry about Erwin or anyone else. He was actually allowed to feel like this now. He was allowed to love Levi with every fibre of his being.

Levi felt his heart melt at the adorable sight in front of him. He pulled off Eren's jacket and hung it in a crook in the hallway, and Eren beamed up at him like he had never been this happy in his entire life. And that was actually how Levi felt himself. All the pain he had felt during the last six months disappeared as Eren looked up at him with a loving expression. Levi let out a low chuckle and pulled Eren into another kiss. Eren threw his arms around Levi's neck again to deepen the kiss, as Levi's tongue brushed over his lips. Eren parted his lips as both of them finally began to realize that this was real - this was what they had waited for ever since realizing how much they loved each other. This was the first day of the rest of their life together.

Levi pulled Eren up, and the boy wrapped his legs around the painter's waist. He clung to the older man, as Levi let his hands wander all over the young body. He invaded Eren's mouth over and over again, gently caressing his tongue and lips. Eren hummed happily as Levi awkwardly carried him to the bathroom.

Eren slid down Levi's body as he stopped in the middle of the room, and Levi placed a few soft kisses on his lips before pulling back again.

"This is the best birthday present I have ever had," Levi sighed and sent Eren an adoring glance, "You are so beautiful, Eren."

"Je t'aime," Eren whispered back as he still held onto Levi. He didn't feel like letting go at all, but a warm bath didn't sound bad either. While travelling though Europe on Hanji's ship, he didn't get the chance to shower very often, and he felt cold after walking through the streets of London the entire night.

Levi sent him a kind smile and turned to the bathtub to prepare Eren's bath. Eren followed him with curious eyes, as he filled the tub with warm water. He had never had a bath like that before, but it looked very relaxing and pleasant.

Levi studied Eren as he undressed, completely unashamed about his body as always. The painter smiled as Eren walked over and dug a foot into the water. His eyes shone at the warm feeling, and he gracefully slid into the tub and sat down with his back against the edge. He let out a happy sigh as Levi sat down on the floor, resting his arms on the edge of the tub.

"How is Mikasa?" Levi asked as Eren leaned down to get his hair wet too.

"She has recovered completely," Eren answered with another sweet smile, "It took six weeks before she got back on her feet, but Monsieur Dot taught me how to take care of her."

"Tell me what happened," Levi said as he studied Eren's gorgeous features, "Tell me what you have been doing."

"After you left, Mikasa and I went to Hanji's apartment. She was in a really bad condition, so I paid Monsieur Dot to check up on her every day. I would never be able to pay for it, if you hadn't given me that money before you left. You have no idea how much you have done for us, Levi," Eren said, and paused to send Levi a grateful look, "After two weeks, she finally started recovering. Monsieur Dots said that she was very malnourished, so I started working to pay for her treatment and to make sure she got proper meals."

"Did... did you...?" Levi asked, as a worried frown settled on his face. Eren had once told him, that the only talent he had, included spreading his legs, and he suddenly felt anxious that Eren had continued working as a prostitute, just to be able to take care of his sister.

"No!" Eren reassured him, as his eyes widened a bit, "No, I would never do that to you! I took minor jobs for the shop-owners nearby the apartment. The merchant paid me to bring out groceries some days, and sometimes I got paid to sweep the streets."

"I'm glad to hear that," Levi said and relaxed again. He nuzzled Eren's hair as the boy smiled and continued.

"As Mikasa finally got better, we started working together to support ourselves. It was a bit difficult, though, because the police was now looking for me. No one knew anything about Mikasa, but Annie had told the police that she saw me leave with you that night, and after breaking down the door to Erwin's office, they found the hidden basement. Gunther told them I had been in my room with Monsieur Bossard -" Levi's eyes narrowed by the mentioning of the benefiter's name, but he took a deep breath and reminded himself that it was all in the past, "- so they knew it wasn't me. But after what Annie told, they started looking for me, hoping I could lead them to you. I had to walk around as a cat to hide."

Eren paused to wash his face in the warm water. Levi studied him with an expressionless face. He knew the police wouldn't be able to link him directly to the murder, but that explained why the rumour had come all the way to London. The only evidence that Levi had ever been in France, was the posters in Erwin's office, but that wasn't enough to prove it was him. Sasha was the only one who had seen him in La Maison des Chats that night, and she would probably get in trouble herself if she ever told anyone about what had happened.

"You don't have to worry," Eren said as he noticed Levi's frown, "You're safe. I met Sasha one afternoon, and she promised that she will never say anything."

Levi smiled at the boy; the fact that he could still read him like an open book just proved to him that his feelings hadn't changed either. He stroked his hair again and placed a kiss of his forehead.

"What happened after Mikasa recovered?" he asked and rested his arms on the edge of the bathtub again.

"Hanji came back to pick us up. I really hoped she would bring me directly to you, but she said she had a few other countries to go to, before she could sail me to London. Mikasa and I worked on her ship, and Mikasa wanted to keep working for Hanji to pay her back. Though I think she just really loves to travel after being locked up in a basement for four years," Eren said with a reflective expression, "But I came as soon as I could. I never stopped thinking about you."

"I thought about you every single day," Levi said, and felt a pinch in his heart, "I was so lonely without you. You are all that ever mattered to me, Eren. I love you."

"I love you too," Eren smiled and leaned his head against the edge of the tub. He looked up and locked eyes with Levi again. The painter leaned down to place another soft kiss on his lips. "Don't you want to bathe with me?" Eren asked after returning the kiss.

Levi bit his lip and looked down at Eren. It was very tempting.

"I'm not sure that is a good idea," he finally said and leaned back a bit.

"Why not?" Eren asked and looked at Levi with a puzzled look.

"Because," Levi paused and let his eyes wander over Eren's body in the water, "I don't think I will be able to  _not_  touch you, if I get in there with you."

"Maybe I want you to touch me," Eren purred and sent the painter a flirty smile.

Levi studied his green eyes for a moment, before getting up on his feet and pulling off the apron and handkerchief. He threw his clothes in a pile on the floor and crawled into the tub.

Eren didn't hesitate to slide through the water and into Levi's arms. He straddled him and wrapped his arms around his neck. Levi welcomed him with a warm embrace, and pulled him into a deep kiss. Eren parted his lips, and their tongues met before their lips joined the kiss. He turned his head a bit to the side to deepen the kiss, and let Levi explore his mouth all over again. Levi licked the underside of Eren's tongue and tugged at his bottom lip, before letting Eren's tongue back inside his own mouth. Eren had forgotten how warm Levi's mouth was, and how the painter always managed to get him completely lost in his kisses.

Levi let his hands slide up and down Eren's naked back and felt how he had gotten a bit more muscular and less feminine. His hands wandered all over the naked body, eager to get used to the feeling of his skin again. Eren had only gotten more gorgeous after he finally started to look like a sixteen year old boy, instead of a malnourished girl. He looked and felt so much healthier now, and as his fingers danced over the tanned skin, the arousal grew in the painter.

"I love you," Eren panted against Levi's lips and tightened the grip around his waist. He pulled himself closer and Levi grabbed his ass as their semi-erections ground against each other.

Levi let out a deep growl and tightened his grip on Eren's ass. He broke the kiss to make a wet trail down Eren's neck and all over his collarbone. Eren let out a deep sigh, and let his head fall back. His dick twitched against Levi's as he finally felt his lips against his skin again. He had missed his touch so much, and it felt like his body was on fire. Levi's warm breath on his neck, as he nibbled and licked all over his sensitive skin, made him let out a low moan.

Levi bit down by the pleased sound and enjoyed the taste of Eren's skin between his teeth again. The desire boiled in his body, and he wanted to touch Eren more. He wanted to feel every inch if his skin against his fingertips and claim him all over again. No money, no need for hiding - just the two of them and their love.

" _Hnn_ , Levi - touch me," Eren panted and let his head roll back again as Levi's tongue trailed up his neck again, "Please, Levi, just -  _ahh!_ "

Levi grabbed around Eren's dick and gave it a squeeze. Eren thrust forward in his hand, and let out another needy sound as the tip of his dick rubbed against Levi's. Eren let his forehead rest against Levi's and looked at him with clouded eyes.

"I have missed you so much," Eren panted as their eyes locked. He let out another moan as Levi gave his dick a hard stroke.

"Are you sure you haven't just missed this?" Levi asked teasingly, and sent the boy a dark smirk.

"Yes, I -  _haah_  - I have missed that too, but -" Eren gulped as Levi began to stroke his dick slowly, "- but I have really missed you, Levi, I have missed you so -  _ahh_  - so much."

"I have missed you too, love," Levi whispered and turned his head to kiss Eren's neck again. Eren dug his nails into Levi's shoulders as he felt the painter's teeth on his earlobe. He knew Levi's touch felt good, but it was so much better than he remembered. He could feel his cheeks burn from the growing arousal and it felt like Levi's hands and lips were everywhere. Then he remembered something...

Levi let out a moan as Eren let his hands wander to his hair, and pulled it backwards. Eren looked up and barely managed to catch the glimpse of desire in Levi's eyes, before the painter jerked forward and smashed his lips against Eren's again. He began to stroke the boy harder and wrapped his free hand around his nape to hold the kiss. Eren's moan drowned in the wet kiss, and he let a hand trail down Levi's chest. A deep sound escaped Levi's throat as Eren grabbed his dick while trusting forward again. Their dicks ground against each other and both of them tightened the grip on the other's cock.

Eren pulled harder at Levi's hair with the hand buried deep in his dark locks, and pulled him slowly out of the hungry kiss. He let the tip of his tongue tease Levi's lips, and locked eyes with him again.

"My God, Eren," Levi panted and let his free hand wander down to the boy's ass again, "Do you even know how gorgeous you are?"

"Do you know how handsome you are?" Eren purred back before nibbling on the painter's bottom lip. He pushed Levi back against the edge of the tub, and Levi relaxed and watched as Eren sat up and stroked Levi a bit harder. Eren sent Levi a needy look and moved his ass closer to Levi's crotch. He wrapped his hand around both their dicks and began stroking them together. He let his other hand rubbed all over Levi's chest.

Levi started panting a bit harder as Eren parted his lips to let out another moan. His eyes were filled with desire and they wandered all over Levi's body. The painter let his hands wander up Eren's thighs and pulled him closer. Their dicks rubbed against each other again, and Eren let another moan escape his lips. Levi let his hands wander back to Eren's ass again and made him thrust into his own hand again.

Eren leaned down to attack Levi's neck, and let go of their dicks for a moment. He let their chests rub against each other as he laid down on top of the painter. His hands caressed Levi's neck as he leaned down to trail kisses from his shoulder to his neck.

Levi hummed and let his head fall back over the edge of the tub. He closed his eyes as Eren's tongue danced all over his neck. He was never going to let Eren go again. He couldn't let go of this again, it was just too good. He would follow Eren everywhere to make sure they would never be apart again.

Eren purred and bit down on the crook of the painter's neck. He could hear Levi's panting and feel his chest raise and lower under his own body. He moved his hips forward to make their dicks grind against each other again. Levi let out a surprised gasp and Eren thrust forward again. The boy could feel his lower body heat up for each touch and sound. He couldn't get enough of Levi.

Levi pushed Eren back up and grabbed his ass with one hand again. Eren let out a surprised sound but it turned to a loud moan as Levi grabbed their dicks again and pressed them against each other.

Eren clung to him as Levi began stroking them hard against each other. Levi's hand felt so good around him, and it had been way too long since he felt this the last time. He dug his hands into the painter's hair again and pulled to provoke a sound from Levi. Just as he wanted, Levi let out another moan.

"Levi," Eren moaned, as the painter's grip on them tightened, "Please, don't stop."

Levi let out a growl and picked up his pace. His hand rubbed all over his butt as he jerked forward to catch Eren's lips with his own. Eren pulled harder at his hair and let his tongue wrestle with Levi's.

Both their minds were completely empty as Levi pushed them closer to the edge. Eren moaned louder and louder and let his head roll back again. Levi licked his collarbone sloppily and focused on not releasing by the bare sound of Eren's pleasure. He knew this wouldn't be enough - it felt so good to rub them against each other, but it wouldn't be long before he needed Eren again. But God, it felt good to be with him again.

_"Ahh, Levi!"_  Eren moaned and arched his back as the arousal in his lower body snapped. He thrust against Levi's dick as he released into the water. He gasped to catch his breath and rolled his hips against Levi's to ride out his orgasm. As he came back from his high, he noticed his hands were still buried deep in Levi's hair, and the painter's eyes were locked on him.

Eren panted and tried to focus on Levi, who were obviously very close too. As his body still twitched, Eren leaned in to nibble on Levi's neck and pulled at his hair again. He bit down on his neck and felt Levi tremble as he kept stroking himself.

"Je t'aime," Eren whispered against his ear and tugged at his hair once again. He heard a choked gasp from Levi's throat as he came. He tightened his grip on Eren's ass as he released into the water too, and let his back fall back against the edge of the tub again. Eren followed him and rested against his chest as Levi removed his hand from their dicks and wrapped them around Eren instead.

"I love you, Eren," Levi panted and placed a sloppy kiss on his forehead.

"I will never let you go again," Eren whispered and rested his head against Levi's shoulder. He wasn't sure if his words made any sense; his head was completely numb, but he felt better than he had ever felt before.

"I will never leave you again," Levi murmured back, and nuzzled his nose against Eren's hair. Eren lifted his head and Levi pulled him into a deep kiss. This was perfect. He had woken up alone, feeling grateful that he had been able to remember something new about Eren - and now he was actually there. They could stay like this forever, wrapped up in each other's arms, enjoying the feeling of their naked bodies against each other - and it was okay; they were allowed to and they both wanted to. Eren was completely free and he still chose to be with Levi. He could feel Eren smile against the kiss, and he was pretty sure the boy thought the exact same. He tugged playfully at the painter's bottom lip and let out a sweet giggle. All the pain they had gone through just to be together, had all been worth it. And suddenly the world seemed such a perfect place.

 

* * *

 

A month later, Sasha went down to the office that used to belong to Erwin. La Maison des Chats had gotten a new owner, who had cleaned out the entire room and sealed the hidden basement under the office. He had picked up where Erwin had left, and the nightclub seemed to be as popular as it used to, even without the were-cat on stage. People wanted to visit the infamous brothel, where rumour had it, that the owner had been murdered by a man who had been driven mad with love for a prostitute. All the girls had chosen to stay as soon as the new owner had bought the place; none of them really have anywhere else to go.

Sasha knocked on the door to the office, and was met with her boss' friendly face as he opened the door.

"I have a letter for you," the boss said and invited Sasha inside the office. He picked up a sealed envelope from his desk and handed it over.

Sasha studied the handwriting with curiosity and then she noticed where the stamp was from. England. She ripped the the envelope and let it fall to the floor as she read through the letter.

She smiled to herself as she saw that Mikasa had finally written her the letter she had waited for for months. Mikasa told that she was visiting Levi with Hanji as she wrote. It was new years eve, and Eren had been living with Levi for about a week. Mikasa wrote about their travel through Europe, before finally reaching England. Eren had run away from the ship to find Levi, and Hanji had received a telegram from the painter. He thanked both girls for taking care of Eren and invited them to spend new years eve with the two of them.

_'It took half a year, but they finally got their happy ending. Eren seems like he has already gotten used to London, but I am positive that he would feel home anywhere as long as he is with Levi._

_As for myself, I am going to stay with Captain Hanji and work for her as we travel around the world. I will come by to pay you a visit the next time we reach Paris, and I know Captain Hanji will be visiting La Maison des Chats many times in the future._

_I hope you are well. I am forever grateful for your help._

_Sincerely, Mikasa'_

Sasha read the letter through once more, and felt happy tears press against her eyes. She could imagine the exciting lives they were living and she really hoped Mikasa would write her again.

The new boss sent her a curious look as she smiled to herself and pressed the letter against her chest. Even though she would probably spend her entire life working as a prostitute, it made her happy to know that true love existed out there. And no one deserved it more than Eren and Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the end of my Moulin Rouge-inspired fanfiction. Thank you for reading it all and for following my story through the past couple of months. I had to make a happy ending, I felt like they really deserved it, but I have an idea for an alternative ending which I might write at some point. Right now I'm writing a completely different kind of fanfic, with Levi as a young chef and Eren as a annoyingly charming food-critic, so I hope you'll give it a shot.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the ending.


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